


Dive (Part I)

by fictorium, InspectorBoxer, sgvirtualseason



Series: Supergirl Virtual Season [1]
Category: Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: Aliens, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Bisexual Female Character, Canon-Typical Violence, Collaboration, Cover Art, Digital Art, F/F, Femslash, Gifset, Hostage Situations, Journalism, Kidnapping, Peril, Terrorism
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-05
Updated: 2017-06-09
Packaged: 2018-11-07 08:23:54
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 11
Words: 25,630
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11055090
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fictorium/pseuds/fictorium, https://archiveofourown.org/users/InspectorBoxer/pseuds/InspectorBoxer, https://archiveofourown.org/users/sgvirtualseason/pseuds/sgvirtualseason
Summary: Cat wanted to dive, but Cadmus had other plans. Now she’s fighting for her life and her mind. Unaware of Cat’s plight, Kara misses her boss more than an employee should, but a threat to the president keeps her busy.Meanwhile, Alex throws everything into the search for her father, until her world collides with Detective Maggie Sawyer. When Kara and the superfriends realize Cat is missing, Maggie becomes a reluctant ally who could hold the secret to saving her.





	1. Act I

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks to @kuromikoneko for the prompt, which she gave back in February and has waited patiently for ever since.  
  
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This Virtual Season begins where season 2 episode 2 left off. Here’s a refresher on what had just happened…

Are you sitting comfortably? Then we shall begin.

This gifset was created by @reginalovesemma ([ao3](http://archiveofourown.org/users/reginalovesemma) | [tumblr](http://reginalovesemma.tumblr.com)). You can leave comments about it here, or hit the [tumblr ask box](http://reginalovesemma.tumblr.com/ask).

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please don't forget to leave kudos or a comment if you've enjoyed this chapter of the virtual season. Questions always welcome too!


	2. Act I

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cat is kidnapped. Meanwhile Mon-El* disappoints as Kara and the DEO handle a threat to the president. As the Danvers sisters juggle their jobs with their search for Jeremiah, J’onn gets in the way. 
> 
> * _He will have the screentime he deserves in SGVS, i.e. basically none._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Title gifs created by @xy0009 ([ao3](http://archiveofourown.org/users/xy0009) | [tumblr](http://xy0009.tumblr.com))

**TEASER**

His hand clamped around her throat. Kara barely got a gasp out before her airway was closed off and she was airborne, the man she’d been consoling turning on her with a speed to nearly rival her own. The medical bay whipped by as he flung her over him and through a pane of glass, shattering it into a million pieces.

Stunned, Kara picked herself up as the alarms began to shriek, shards of glass sliding off her suit and cape as she got her feet under her. Their newest guest at Hotel DEO was proving an ungrateful one, and worse, had already made a break for it before they knew who he was or what he could do.

“So much for being nice,” Kara grumbled, using a burst of superspeed to propel herself out of the medical bay.

Their patient was bare-chested and sweating, tossing agents left and right. His movements were jerky but dangerous as he awakened to a new reality of having superpowers. Kara took a step toward him only to see Alex chasing him with a huge gun. Her sister drew up, shouting out a warning as he ran toward the launch pad doors. They parted welcomingly as he tripped the proximity sensors.

Alex fired, a wide streak of red light fanning out from the muzzle of the gun, striking him as he began his leap to freedom. He faltered, tumbling back to the ground, and Kara shook off the last of her shock to stop him.

He scrambled to his feet and swung at her, but this time she was ready. Dodging the blow easily, Kara jabbed with her right, the way Alex had taught her, her fist connecting solidly with his chin. His head snapped back, and he staggered a few steps before blinking at her in faint surprise, like he didn’t expect a _girl_ to punch that hard.

Kara frowned as he teetered in place for a moment before his eyes rolled up in his head and he collapsed face-first onto the floor.

“Huh,” Kara muttered, disconcerted by how little effort it’d taken to subdue someone who should have matched or exceeded her in strength if not in skill.

Alex stepped up beside her, lowering the weapon. “That was… easy.” She raised an eyebrow at the unconscious man, giving him an experimental nudge with the side of her boot.

“All things considered,” Kara agreed. “What did you shoot him with?”

“Something that mimics Krypton’s red sun. Doesn’t last long, unfortunately, but it can give you an advantage over a Kryptonian.” Alex glanced at her. “No offense.”

“None taken.”

They stared at the unconscious alien as a few agents approached him warily.

“Now what? We just gave your cousin all our kryptonite.”

Kara sighed.

***

Her car window shattered.

Cat threw herself across the backseat to avoid the grasping hand that followed, fumbling for the handle on the opposite door. She barely had time to snatch her purse, and the all-important can of mace inside it, before the door opened at her back and she tumbled out onto the ground. Rough ground, industrial and dirty. No time for distaste about it, or what it was doing to the delicate cashmere of her dress.

Years of Pilates paid off as she managed to stretch and scramble to avoid being grabbed. The self-defense classes she’d taken since her first kidnapping attempt let her get a few meaningful kicks in. Still, the black-clad, grunting goons kept coming. It helped that men always underestimated her, the spoiled bitch image having its advantages. More than anything, what had her heart hammering in her chest was the sheer goddamn rudeness of attempting this on the night she had stepped down from CatCo.

Had it really only been thirty minutes ago she’d said goodbye to Supergirl on the balcony? Letting that red cape flicker off into the night without forcing a confession, letting the hero have that one last little victory? Even the real name tactic had been half-hearted.

It would have been so easy to call for her in that moment, but the bullish streak in Cat that had endured these smash-and-grabs one too many times was determined to find an escape route and get herself home with nothing more than a few thrown elbows.

But that meant running. She zigged and zagged as best she could, trying to avoid the three of them, no four, which was a compliment at least. Last time Leslie and Siobhan had the very real threat of electrocution to keep her in line, but during the carjacking the year before, they’d only sent one guy for both Cat and Carter. Just the thought of him made her heart plummet, but he was safely with his father for the next two weeks. Carter would be in bed by now, pretending to sleep and reading his Kindle under the covers. She’d get back to him; she had to. In time to send her goodnight text if she had anything to say about it.

Cat darted into the alley between two abandoned buildings, a sharp pain in her side suggesting she seriously needed to up her treadmill minutes. As she’d hoped, the space opened into a warren of little buildings and abandoned vehicles that would make for a decent hiding place. She slowed her pace, checking over her shoulder, and slipped behind a rusting truck that towered over her.

She opened her purse carefully, reaching for her phone to call a cab. The light could be a giveaway, so she turned the brightness down while trying to regulate her breathing. Almost there. Almost safe. As she caught her breath, she realized going it alone posed too great a risk. What if it meant never getting home to Carter? He’d never forgive her for not calling for his personal hero when it mattered most. Cat flipped open her contact list and saw the first name under A1, Kara’s own priority filing system putting herself as the first point of contact.

Screaming for Supergirl would be quickest, but the thud of heavy boots on the broken-up asphalt gave her pause. It might be the fastest way to guarantee Supergirl’s presence, but it also risked a nasty confrontation in the meantime. Cat had no intention of blowing it right at the end. Instead, Cat moved her thumb to tap ‘Send My Location,’ but then a sharp tug on her hair made her gasp. She lashed out with a kick behind, but got no purchase, her phone snatched from her hand.

Her head jerked backwards, and then there was the prick of a needle in the side of her neck. Fuck. She opened her mouth to call for Supergirl, a final scream of desperation. Only when she tried to make the sound, her mouth formed _Kara_ instead. She couldn’t expose her like that. She had to…

Before she could call the right name, the world faded out.

***

**ACT I**

The disappointment was crushing.

Kara had hoped the man in the pod was Kryptonian, that she’d found someone who would remember her home world as she did, someone with fresher memories that could revive her own. With Clark back in Metropolis and Cat leaving her behind, Kara had prayed to Rao this man could be a friend. She really could have used one.

But the hand she’d offered in friendship had been figuratively slapped away. Her offer of comfort at what should have been a time of soul-rending grief had fallen on deaf and disinterested ears. Meeting Mon-El of Daxam had been one hell of a letdown on every level.

It had taken some time, and considerable adjustment on her part, to get past the stories her parents had told her of Krypton’s sister planet, lessons she now realized were close-minded and little more than interplanetary snobbery, but Mon-El hadn’t even been willing to meet her halfway.

Walking away from him as he hurled insults about her and her home world at her back, Kara couldn’t believe she’d wasted the better part of two days trying to get him to talk. Now that he’d opened his mouth, she wanted nothing more than for him to shut up. She’d cried for days after arriving on Earth, for everyone she missed and everything she’d never see again. He seemed more interested in where the nearest bars were, and when he might be set free to enjoy them. Despite her best efforts to set prejudice aside, he was the living, breathing stereotype every unkind joke about Daxamites had relied on so heavily.

Chest aching as the hope for a connection to home withered and died inside her, Kara went in search of Alex, who at least would feel like home in a different way. They’d had their troubles in recent months, but a hug from Alex would drown out some of the resurfacing feelings of losing Krypton. Maybe later, fortified by some sister time, she would visit her mother’s hologram and question all the things she’d accepted so blindly as a child, starting with how many other planets had been affected by Krypton’s destruction.

***

Rubbing at her burning eyes, Alex stepped out of the elevator and threaded through the twisting hallways of the DEO on autopilot. Not even the triple espresso she’d slammed on her walk from her apartment could combat her fatigue. The day was making her grumpy already, and it wasn’t even nine o’clock.

“Ma’am,” Vasquez greeted in passing on her way to the locker room. Alex caught her elbow.

“Have you seen Supergirl?”

“In with the intergalactic frat boy, ma’am.”

Alex’s eyebrows lifted at the description, but Vasquez didn’t recant. “He’s finally talking, huh?”

“So very much. You should know, Supergirl isn’t in the best mood this morning. She’s been trying to get something useful out of him for two days now, and there are some dents in the external door.”

A pang of worry struck Alex’s chest. “Must be a Danvers thing, throwing punches when we’re getting nowhere,” she grumbled and let Vasquez go with a friendly pat on her shoulder.

Sighing, Alex detoured from the bustling command center, heading for the holding cells. Their rampaging visitor was just the latest distraction keeping her from properly hunting for her father, and she resented the hell out of him for that alone. The fact he’d also choked her sister, hurt several agents, and trashed her medical bay had him at the top of her shit list.

Kara stepped out into the hallway as Alex neared the door. Whatever she’d been hoping for from their visitor, Kara obviously hadn’t found it.

Alex started to ask what was wrong when Kara stepped forward and pulled her into a hug. “Um… hi.” Alex faltered slightly before returning the embrace. “You okay?”

“Yeah.” Kara sighed and settled her chin on Alex’s shoulder. “Just needed a hug from my awesome sister.”

Melting a little at the declaration, Alex tightened her grip.

“You weren’t going to question him, were you?” Kara asked in a muffled voice. “Lost cause. Trust me.”

Alex opened her mouth only to close it again, taken aback by Kara’s antagonism. After Kara had threatened to go to Metropolis with Clark, Alex had been shamefully afraid Kara would bond with this new Kryptonian. He could understand what it was like to lose a world and gain powers. He could be there for her long after Alex had turned to ash and become nothing but a faint memory. Alex didn’t know how she was supposed to compete with any of that. She cleared her throat. “I was looking for you, actually.”

Some of Kara’s irritation slipped away as she leaned back, releasing Alex as her attention shifted completely onto her sister. “You look tired. Are _you_ okay?”

Nodding, Alex waved off Kara’s concern with a flick of her wrist. “Do you have a minute? I need to talk to you about something.” She inched closer for some privacy as a few agents walked by.

“Sure.”

“It’s about Dad.”

“Did you find something?” Kara asked, cautiously optimistic.

“Not yet. Between Myriad and our Kryptonian party crasher in there, it’s been one crisis after another keeping me… us… from properly searching for him.”

“He’s not Kryptonian.”

Alex blinked in surprise, and she hated herself for the flare of hope that ignited in her chest. “The guy in the Kryptonian pod isn’t Kryptonian?”

“He’s a Daxamite. From a sister planet of Krypton.”

Alex wasn’t sure how to interpret the scorn in her sister’s tone. “Not a fan?”

Kara scoffed. “I told him our planets were gone. Our people. That they’d been wiped from the stars. Barely fazed him.”

That couldn’t have gone over well. Alex winced, torn between concern for Kara and the aching need to find her father.

“Let’s not talk about him, though,” Kara said, making the choice easier. “He’s not worth our time.”

“So… he’s not going to pull your focus away from finding Dad?” Alex asked hesitantly. She braced herself for Kara to sigh in that particular way she had when burdened by duty, to say sorry but everyone else had to take priority.

“Family first,” Kara promised. “Time to talk to J’onn about putting a special team together?”

They were on the same page, and relief swept through Alex so hard she swayed in place. She couldn’t do this without Kara, even though she’d been trying. She’d been scouring the DEO files for every reference to Cadmus, going back as far as Kara’s arrival on Earth and just before it. With so many of the files not digitized for security reasons, it had been a long and laborious process. Two days with a frat boy might have been less frustrating. “He might not be able to give us that, but I wanted to request one.”

Kara pursed her lips, the way she always did when first told ‘no.’ “If we don’t get that, then I’ll step away from the DEO for a while. Concentrate on finding Jeremiah.”

“Thank you,” Alex breathed, pulling Kara into her arms again for a tight, grateful hug.

“Did you doubt I would?” Kara asked softly, her brow crinkling just a little as she moved back to look at Alex.

“You’ve got a lot going on. New job. The intergalactic frat boy, as Vasquez called him.” Kara’s lips twitched at the term. “And then Cat leaving…”

“Honestly, focusing on you and Jeremiah is the most important thing I can do right now. Especially now that we don’t have another crisis to deal with.”

“You should _not_ put stuff like that out in the universe unless you want the universe to clap back,” Winn said as he walked up, giving them both a tight, apologetic smile.

Alex’s stomach knotted in irritation. “What?” she growled, ignoring Kara’s hand on her shoulder squeezing in warning.

“Don’t shoot the messenger.” Winn held up his hands in surrender. “J’onn is back from Washington, and he sent me to get you. So… get mad at the Martian.”

***

As hangovers went, at least it didn’t touch Cannes in 2011. That had been one hell of a summer. Cat forced herself through the pounding headache and wave of nausea into a sitting position.

Not exactly the Four Seasons. The bunk beneath her was institutional metal, but at least the bedroll seemed fresh. She winced at the scratch of synthetic poly cotton under her hands as she kicked her legs off the bed, dangling them above the bare stone floor. Dry, at least, even if the pockmarked walls were tinged with damp. Something, somewhere was dripping. She hoped water, for the time being.

“Hello?” Her throat was raspy, which was to be expected. She tried again, projecting as best she could. “Room service?” She must have been out for quite a while, judging by the hunger pangs and the overwhelming need to relieve herself.

There was a brief murmur from somewhere beyond the cell door, the shuffle of footsteps and the crackle of a handheld radio. The door itself was regulation heavy metal of some kind, with bolts and a small grille to see through. As she suspected, on the other side she saw only the opposite wall of a narrow corridor and some gloomy shadows. The fluorescent lighting overhead, dull and flickering, wouldn’t be doing her complexion any favors.

Speaking of overhead, Cat scanned the cell for surveillance. Three cameras, much higher specs than anything she’d let her department heads requisition. She wasn’t just being watched; she was being studied. For the first time in this whole debacle, a shiver of genuine fear ran down her spine.

“This will all be over so much quicker if you just bring me my checkbook,” she said calmly, staring into the nearest camera. Being intimidated was a choice, and not one she’d ever been inclined to make. A bit of fancy equipment didn’t mean this was anything she hadn’t handled before. A deep, steadying breath and she continued. “Or give me my phone to call my insurance provider. They cover kidnapping now that I’m a client.”

Nothing, not even a crackle on the radio in the hall. This was going to be tedious after all.

***

“You’ve got to be kidding me,” Alex muttered under her breath, but Kara heard her, aching for her sister. Yet another delay when Jeremiah had already waited so long, and now he and Alex would have to wait a little longer. Another obstacle, another unfair burden to stand in the way of doing right by their family. While protecting the president sounded worthy and important – not to mention Kara was kind of a fangirl in her own right – she was frustrated on Alex’s behalf as well as her own.

“Where did this intel come from?” Kara asked J’onn as they stood around the table in the command center. The sooner they wrapped up this threat, the sooner they’d be free to go find Jeremiah. Not to mention she’d have to put in an appearance at CatCo pretty soon. Snapper started his days earlier than Cat, and he would take any excuse to ridicule Kara in front of the whole newsroom.

“Multiple sources,” J’onn explained impatiently, obviously feeling the pressure. “Other intelligence agencies are being briefed as we speak. The FBI, NCPD, and Secret Service will be underfoot on this one. Hopefully they’ll stay out of our way until the terrorists are apprehended.”

Alex’s jaw clenched, but she said nothing. Kara frowned in sympathy; Alex had told her plenty of times how much more difficult DEO operations were when they had to interact with other agencies. The less secretive organizations were no fans of the DEO either, leading to a lot of squabbling and unnecessary paperwork all around.

“Are we sure they’re terrorists?” Winn asked.

“It’s an alien or aliens threatening to kill President Marsdin if she steps foot in National City, Mr. Schott. What would you call them?”

Winn and Kara exchanged glances.

“Bad trip to Washington?” Kara asked lightly, tapping her fingers on the table.

J’onn glared at her. “Imagine the kind of mood I’ll be in if I have to go back there to explain how we let the president be assassinated on our watch. You’re being asked to help on this one thanks to your unique attributes, Supergirl. After this, we need to discuss your role, going forward.”

Kara nodded once, unsure what he meant by that, and Alex shifted uneasily at her side. “So… we have four days?” Kara asked, trying to get them back on topic.

“More like three. We want this contained before the president lands in National City.” J’onn turned, pacing away from the table, his hands clasped tightly behind his back. “I need to be able to give assurances that we’re not letting aliens run amok here.”

“What do we know about the hostiles?” Alex sounded weary, and Kara wondered when her sister had last slept.

“An Infernian is believed to be acting alone or with a team to derail the president’s Alien Amnesty Act,” J’onn said.

“And… what’s an Infernian?” Winn asked hesitantly before leaning closer to Kara. “Is he glaring at me? It feels like he’s glaring.”

Frowning, Kara shook her head as a subtle warning for Winn to shut up. J’onn looked ready to go on a firing spree at any moment, and it sounded like she might be at the top of that list.

“A race who can create and project fire. Only ones other than Kryptonians with heat vision,” Alex grumbled, not welcoming the news.

Kara sighed. “Ms. Grant is going to be sorry she missed this. Alien intrigue. A threat on the president’s life. Sales of the Tribune will be through the roof.”

Knowing she wouldn’t see Cat today, or tomorrow, maybe not even for weeks or months made her chest ache. It wasn’t fair. They’d finally moved past Adam, past Siobhan, finding a new appreciation of one another. She’d been looking forward to being more than ‘Keira’ to Cat at last. She’d wanted the chance to be _Kara_.

“Cat Grant and every journalist in the city will have no idea this is even a problem,” J’onn told her pointedly.

“The public has a right to know,” Kara argued. “Especially since they inevitably end up being the ones caught in the crossfire.”

Alex’s lips quirked. “Sounding like a reporter already.”

Coming from her sister, that might have been more insult than compliment, but Kara suspected Cat would be proud, that she would want her to push and pull and do everything in her power as a journalist to make sure the people of National City knew the truth. Kara owed it to Cat to try. She’d ask J’onn for forgiveness later.

***

“Knock, knock?” Kara ventured, although the door to Cat’s – _no, James’s_ – office was wide open as ever. “I brought you a latte. I didn’t… you know, with the heat vision? I know you don’t need yours hot enough to melt steel,” she joked.

“Kara!” James was trying too hard for relaxed. She could see the tension in his broad shoulders beneath his spotless gray shirt. “You don’t have to do that. I’m not your boss.”

“Well, you’re _the_ boss,” Kara reminded him, determined to get things back to normal between them. She set the coffee cup on a clear space on the desk and tried not to frown at the photos and layouts spread all over it, covering the few knickknacks of Cat’s that remained. Kara felt a fresh twist in her stomach as she noticed Cat hadn’t taken any of her spare pairs of glasses. “Besides, Eve probably doesn’t know how you take your coffee yet.”

He was almost fast enough, knocking his empty cup into the trash bin, but Kara noticed all the same. It might not have been her job to bring James coffee, but she’d done it most days anyway in a mild abuse of Cat’s tab at Noonan’s. More often than not, it had been an excuse to see him for the first time each day, something she was already starting to miss. At least Eve was up to the job, when Cat wasn’t making her cry. It was hard to imagine James barking at Eve in the same way. Kara had barely heard him raise his voice, while Cat’s _Teschmachers_ still seemed to echo faintly from the white walls.

“Thanks.” James made a small production out of lifting the cup and taking a long sip. It was hard not to like him for that, and Kara took it as her cue to push through their lingering awkwardness. Even so, as soon as he set the cup back down he seemed restless, as though waiting for her to leave.

“So, I have an ethical dilemma,” she began, taking a seat in front of the desk, not hovering by his shoulder as she would have done with Cat. “My _other job_ has given me some pretty juicy intel, or at least it will be if anything actually goes down. I guess my question is, if something is told to Supergirl, is it appropriate for Kara Danvers to be in the right place at the right time to get the scoop?”

“You should really talk to Snapper about that.”

“I can’t talk to Snapper.” Kara adjusted her glasses. James glanced behind her, almost as though he was hoping for an interruption. “Snapper doesn’t know there’s a dilemma, because he doesn’t know I’m Supergirl. Even if he did, he’d probably still assign me to cover trash. And that’s not a metaphor. He literally gives me assignments about garbage collecting.”

“It’s his department, Kara.”

“Right, but–”

“I know you’re used to using Cat’s name and influence to get things done for her.” James sat down in the impressive desk chair, steepling his fingers over his chest as he talked. “And that other job of yours, people tend to do what you tell them. With the suit and all. And you know, the hands on hips, that whole deal.”

“This… this is not about me getting my _way_ ,” Kara sputtered, springing back out of her seat. Hadn’t she just spent two days overcoming the very attitude James was accusing her of? She’d been nothing but humble in all her years on Earth, even if Alex had mockingly called her a princess for weeks after Kara had explained her home life on Krypton in whispered conversations after lights out. Okay, maybe she occasionally missed having house robots, and the way everyone would do her little favors because of her parentage, but it didn’t change the fact that she worked long and hard every day, getting by on her own efforts and not just her name. And, admittedly, her superpowers. Even if she’d used them sparingly until last year.

“Listen,” James sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. He looked every bit as stressed as he did the last time he’d covered for Cat, when he’d been trying to get over Lucy. “I know we’ll get there, but with everything that’s just happened in the past week or so… can we not do this? We’re just redrawing lines as friends; I don’t want to have to draw the boss line too.”

“No, right, got it.” Kara agreed readily, realizing the position she was putting him in. If she hadn’t been so distracted since their conversation the other day, she might well have been bruised by it all too. She did miss that wave of potential they were riding for so long, the excitement of _maybe_ finally becoming _yes_. She also knew when it had changed, it had become something she wasn’t ready for.

“I can handle it. Cat told me to pull up my big girl pants, and that’s what I’ll do. I’ll just make sure whatever story I get is one any assigned reporter would have access to. Snapper will respect the work. You should uh, just get on with your day. I know how busy Ms. Grant always was, so…”

She started backing out of the office, bumping her calves on the coffee table and thanking Rao yet again she couldn’t bruise. With her general clumsiness, she’d turn a human body black and blue.

“Kara?” James called out as she reached the door.

“Yeah?”

“For what it’s worth, I never thought Clark was cheating by doing what you’re talking about. A good reporter tells the story in front of them, right?”

An olive branch. “Right.” She nodded. “And you know, if you ever want another Pulitzer, maybe I can get you out with your camera sometime, for a break.”

“I’d like that,” he said as they shared a hesitant smile. “But you know the photo I took of you during the earthquake, the robbery? That’s nominated this year.”

“No way!”

“Way,” James confirmed, his smile growing at sharing the news. “Go get your story.”

Kara had a spring back in her step as she headed toward the bullpen. She’d write a sample piece on alien rights and the president’s campaign promises about them, show Snapper she could play at the right level. Then he’d have to assign her to the gaggle covering the president’s visit, solving all her problems in one fell swoop.

***

“Agent Danvers.” J’onn motioned for her to take a seat at the conference table, where he was working his way through a pile of papers. The Alien Amnesty Act was generating more paperwork than any of them were used to handling, the scrutiny of the DEO’s recordkeeping more exacting than ever before. Alex was aware how much of the responsibility fell on her boss’s shoulders. After all they’d been through, she wished she could be more help to him. Unfortunately, that wasn’t the reason for grabbing this ad-hoc meeting.

“Got a minute?” she asked, pulling a chair out and dropping into it with heavy limbs. “I know you’re busy–”

“Might I remind you if you’re going to beat around the bush, I can just read your mind?” Alex blanched at the gruffness, but J’onn caught himself, scrubbing a hand over his tired face. “In all honesty, you’re saving me from the bureaucracy.”

“It’s about my father.” Alex lacked the tact or patience to drag it out any longer. She’d exhausted her ten seconds of small talk already.

“I thought this might come up.”

“J’onn–”

“I think it’s best, under the circumstances, that you refer to me as Director Henshaw for this conversation. Given what we’re discussing.” Hank pushed the stack of papers aside, giving his full attention to Alex.

Alex paused. That was the last name she wanted to call J’onn when they were talking about her father, considering it was the name of the man who had taken Jeremiah from them. “You’re not going back to J’onzz?” Alex asked in surprise. Surely he couldn’t be any more out than he already was.

“Part of the discussions in Washington were about continuity. They think the optics are better if I keep my previous identity.” Alex nodded, but something about the decision didn’t sit well with her. For all the secrecy she’d had to deploy for this job, they’d always been trained to be as honest as possible in all the ways they could. It was another unnecessary demand on J’onn, when he’d been treated so badly by their employers already. Lying to Kara about her job had been one thing. Having to pretend to be someone else entirely? Alex wasn’t sure she could do that.

“Maybe they can’t print apostrophes on our ID badges or something,” Alex said, trying to lighten the moment, but it fell flat. Right, back to business. “Sir, I’d like to head a strike team to expose Cadmus and take them out. Primary objective: rescuing Jeremiah Danvers. A DEO asset.”

“Agent Danvers, the primary function of the DEO is not anti-terrorism. We’re not even sure Cadmus qualify as a terrorist organization, not yet. I appreciate you have personal involvement, but we have a broader mission. Including the protection of our very human president.”

“Our mission is to protect Earth from hostile aliens,” Alex agreed slowly. She couldn’t believe he was lecturing her about personal involvement when a few weeks ago they’d been on the run, trying to find Jeremiah together. “And my dad, last I checked, is a resident of Earth and in need of our protection.”

“Not from aliens,” J’onn countered. “Between the public scrutiny, the additional resources for the Amnesty Act… Agent Danvers, there’s not much I could give you.” She scowled a little at being referred to only by her rank. It wasn’t uncommon out in the field, or on the floor, but in private they’d been informal for quite some time now. “And speaking of your family members, our days of being Supergirl’s personal backup squad are coming to an end. If she wants to fight crime, she does it on her own dime. We only show up if alien hostiles need to be contained.”

“That’s what you were talking about in the meeting? After all she’s done for us?” Alex spat, her temper rising. “How can you–?”

“Not everyone sees it that way. She’s done a lot of damage, too. Damage the government can’t afford to keep footing the bill for.” J’onn folded his arms over his chest. “But when it comes to your father, my hands are tied. I’m an alien running the department protecting us all from _aliens_. I’d lose my job if I funded personal vendettas and side missions.”

“This is bullsh–”

“I’m not saying never,” he clarified. Vasquez appeared at the door of the conference room, holding more papers and an apologetic expression to go with them. J’onn continued, waving her in. “I’m saying we’ve waited this long. We can take a little longer to do it right.”

“When?” Alex demanded. She slammed her palms down on the table, making the usually unflappable Vasquez jump as she passed. “Next week? Next month? Or just long enough for them to finally get around to killing him?”

“That’s enough, Agent. You know your duties. I can’t control what you do on your own time, but I can warn you and that sister of yours to be careful about where you stick your noses. You barely know anything about Cadmus, do you?”

Alex shook her head, frustrated.

“Have I made myself clear?”

“Crystal.” Alex stood to leave, not bothering to look back. She expected she’d only see apology on J’onn’s face, but that and fifty cents would buy her a coffee. She hadn’t anticipated blanket approval, but some kind of wink or nudge. Maybe a couple of agents and a discretionary fund, plus all the ammo they could carry from the armory.

Which, come to think of it, Alex was more than capable of arranging without explicit permission. Smirking to herself, she made her way back to her post in the command center. She was going to find her father.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please don't forget to leave kudos or a comment if you've enjoyed this chapter of the virtual season. Questions always welcome too!
> 
> Major props to supercattuccino ([ao3](http://archiveofourown.org/users/krystalgoderitch) | [tumblr](http://supercattuccino.tumblr.com/ask)) and spaceshipsarecool ([ao3](http://archiveofourown.org/users/spaceshipsarecool) | [tumblr](http://spaceshipsarecool.tumblr.com/ask)) for their beta work on all episodes so far!


	3. Act II

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Previously on Supergirl Virtual Season...

  


Cat's kidnapping from Act I, brought to life by @supergaysupercat ([ao3](http://archiveofourown.org/users/octoplods/pseuds/SupergaySupercat) | [tumblr](http://supergaysupercat.tumblr.com)). Please leave comments on the art here or their [tumblr ask box](http://supergaysupercat.tumblr.com/ask).

_She opened her purse carefully, reaching for her phone to call a cab. The light could be a giveaway, so she turned the brightness down while trying to regulate her breathing. Almost there. Almost safe. As she caught her breath, she realized going it alone posed too great a risk. What if it meant never getting home to Carter? He’d never forgive her for not calling for his personal hero when it mattered most. Cat flipped open her contact list and saw the first name under A1, Kara’s own priority filing system putting herself as the first point of contact. Screaming for Supergirl would be quickest, but the thud of heavy boots on the broken-up asphalt gave her pause. It might be the fastest way to guarantee Supergirl’s presence, but it also risked a nasty confrontation in the meantime. Cat had no intention of blowing it right at the end. Instead, Cat moved her thumb to tap ‘Send My Location,’ but then a sharp tug on her hair made her gasp. She lashed out with a kick behind, but got no purchase, her phone snatched from her hand._

Now read on to the next chapter, for Act II of Episode 1...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please don't forget to leave kudos or a comment if you've enjoyed this chapter of the virtual season. Questions always welcome too!


	4. Act II

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kara throws herself into being a reporter as a distraction from missing Cat, who may have found an ally. Alex makes quite an impression on Detective Maggie Sawyer. The mastermind behind Cat’s kidnapping is revealed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Title gifs created by @xy0009 ([ao3](http://archiveofourown.org/users/xy0009) | [tumblr](http://xy0009.tumblr.com))

Taking a sip of her tea, Kara waded through her research into the Alien Amnesty Act. Her dealings with Mon-El, if nothing else, had given her some more insight into why humans might feel so reluctant to embrace every ungrateful alien who fell to Earth. If he’d been her first impression of humans, she might never have stayed. Growing increasingly annoyed, Kara forced him from her mind.

Snapper had no idea Cat had given Kara an office, one she’d insisted Kara keep after she’d made the choice to become a reporter. Maybe Cat was being kind, leaving Kara one last parting gift with the space, or maybe it amused Cat to know Kara was pulling one over on Snapper since _he_ wouldn’t even let her have a chair. Either way, settling into her secret office made Kara feel closer to Cat somehow.

Out of habit, she clicked her CatCo news tracker to see if her former boss was making any headlines today. Kara missed knowing everything Cat was up to before Cat even knew herself. Her work calendar was blank now, Eve having cancelled all her CEO meetings and trips with immediate effect. All the new articles that cropped up were paparazzi fodder and content generators. Kara barely skimmed them, the pictures too distant and grainy to tell much. Only on the last one did she notice the location. Kahului, Hawaii. Weird. Cat was the only person Kara had ever met who hated Hawaii, and not for a sensible reason like how many damn sharks were in the ocean around the place.

Shaking her head, Kara willed herself to concentrate on the task at hand. One kickass article on the Alien Amnesty Act, and Snapper would _have_ to let her follow up by covering the presidential visit. That was how it worked at the Tribune, just like it always had at the Daily Planet. Cat wouldn’t allow anyone to run CatCo Magazine any differently.

The reading material was dense, a lot of it screaming polemic from very biased writers, but Kara persisted and fact-checked rigorously against the full text of the law. Like Cat, Kara had been a supporter of the Act since its proposal. She was happy her new home was willing to welcome so many others like herself with a fresh start and open arms. She’d known there was opposition, people with narrow minds and closed hearts who feared anyone _different_ , but Kara had never imagined some of the fiercest opposition to amnesty would be some of the aliens themselves.

She frowned as she read through online forums where aliens argued in anonymity both for and against the act. There were strong feelings on both sides, but by the time she was done, Kara wasn’t sure what to feel. In all her deliberations, she’d considered only registering as Supergirl, or with her Kryptonian name. The thought of giving up Kara Danvers and her human-passing life made it a different prospect entirely. Did that make her a hypocrite? The people on the forums would definitely have an opinion, and not a polite one.

One thing was clear from her research. Cadmus were scaring the alien community, and fear was causing many of them to question everything. The idea that amnesty could be just another term for registration left Kara unsettled. She wished she could ask Cat what she thought. No doubt Cat would have been able to frame the debate in a way Kara could get her head and hands around. Right now, the issue was too big for her small laptop screen.

At least she had a thread to pursue that might lead her to the Infernian threatening the president, the alien’s motivations possibly put in perspective. She liked being able to help Alex and the other DEO staff in ways that didn’t involve kicking down walls or a well-timed blast of heat vision. HR would call it transferable skills. Kara just liked her two worlds having something in common.

Her cell phone rang and she picked it up distractedly. “Kara Danvers.”

“Hey.”

Alex’s voice was tight and angry, grabbing Kara’s attention away from her laptop. “What’s wrong?”

“So, I spoke to J’onn yesterday after you left… excuse me, _Director_ Henshaw.”

“Oh no,” Kara breathed. Alex reacting instantly to something that angered her was easy, manageable. Something she’d stewed on for the best part of a day? There wouldn’t be a punching bag left intact at the DEO. “He didn’t agree to the team?”

“I get he’s under more scrutiny now that they know he’s an alien. I get that Washington is directing him to _hone our focus_ on capturing alien combatants again, but… Dad is one of us. He was a DEO agent, even though he didn’t want to be, and we’re just supposed to forget he’s out there?”

“Wait. What?” Kara’s heart thudded sickly against her ribs. She couldn’t help noticing Alex hadn’t entirely kicked the habit of referring to Jeremiah in the past tense. No matter how many crumbs they’d collected, him being alive still didn’t feel quite real. If Astra weren’t such a sore subject between them, she might ask Alex if she had felt the same, to find family alive after so long of assuming they were dead. “Didn’t he say he owed our dad his life? And ‘hone the DEO’s focus’? What does that even mean?”

Alex sighed. “It means we’re no longer going to be able to support Supergirl with anything outside securing alien hostiles. I assume you’re probably not going to be on the payroll, either. We’re right back where we started.”

Feeling like she’d been punched in the gut, Kara leaned back in her chair. Yet again, she became the girl who got put in a little pod and jettisoned out of an airlock. Just because it probably came with a pink slip and a muffin basket this time didn’t make it hurt any less. “Wow.”

“I’m sorry, Kara.”

Kara shook her head. She’d thought the DEO team was her family; perhaps she should have realized that meant she’d be the one left behind. “I kept telling Kal the DEO was different. Guess I was wrong. The extra money was kinda nice. For dry-cleaning alone, you know?”

“The orders are coming from on high. It’s not J’onn. Not really. Might explain why he’s so damn grumpy right now.”

“But the president, we make an exception for her,” Kara grumbled sourly. Of course she wanted to help keep someone so important safe, but wasn’t that what the Secret Service was for?

Alex said nothing, quietly seething and hurting on the other end of the line.

“Sister night?” Kara offered. “We can commiserate over ice cream and Netflix? Otherwise I might snap and watch the new _Grace and Frankie_ without you.”

“I can’t. We’re all hands on deck until we catch this Infernian.”

Kara nodded to herself, disappointed. “Be careful, okay? When this is over, we’ll figure something out about Jeremiah. Especially since it looks like my involvement with the DEO is going to be curtailed regardless.”

“You might not be the only one,” Alex muttered bitterly. “I’ll call you.” She disconnected before Kara could say anything more.

Pushing to her feet, Kara began to pace.

The last thing she needed right now was more change. Her first instinct was to go to Cat, craving her insight, her ability to see the bigger picture. Knowing she couldn’t have told Cat anything about the DEO didn’t make Kara need her any less. Cat’s departure had left a gaping hole in Kara’s life, one far larger than Kara could have ever imagined. Whether the one left, or the one forced to leave, the feeling of emptiness wasn’t getting any easier each time.

She wondered when Cat taking off so suddenly would stop hurting this much, or if it would be like Krypton: the kind of loss that had no end, just painful reminders that gradually grew further apart.

***

There was little else to do but pace. Like her namesake, Cat prowled the confines of her cage. The Cartier watch on her wrist was never intended as a timepiece, just a rare display of sentimentality she’d slipped on in the car after her last day at CatCo. She’d worn it for every momentous day in her career, despite its style limitations, a way to keep her father’s presence in the important moments. Hadn’t she once confessed as much to Kara, drunk and emotional around the anniversary of his death?

Though Cat had traded her ruined dress for the generic black scrubs provided, she was surprised to see she’d been allowed to keep her jewelry. Surely any mercenaries worth their salt would have stripped her of the thousands of dollars contained in her earrings, necklace, ring and watch while she was knocked out, at the very least.

She’d never been more grateful for the old-fashioned date counter on the watch’s display. With no natural light to keep track of, it was the only way to know she’d already been captive for three days, ticking into a fourth. In that time, she’d seen six different guards come and go, in standard-issue cargo pants and muscle t-shirts to show off the numerous guns strapped to them. If she’d been in a better mood, Cat might have appreciated the aesthetic, but the buzz cuts and cruel eyes dampened any hope of even mild distraction.

No one had mentioned Carter. Or Adam, for that matter. Cat was relieved about that much, knowing her sons were most likely safe. Letting herself think otherwise was not an option, not while she was still so firmly stuck.

Without anything to record the details of her captivity, she’d taken to repeating the routines, the names, every detail she picked up, over and over in her head. Her cell, the primitive restroom to the left and three doors down, where she’d learned privacy was not going to be an option, the annoying buzz of the fluorescent lights. When those lights went out, when they came back on. Making up names in her head for the brusque men who brought supplies or escorted her. For someone who frequently talked all day every day it was a particular kind of agony to keep quiet, but Cat didn’t want to give ammunition to anyone who might be listening.

Which was why she’d resisted the urge to call for Supergirl. She should have done it back when the car window first shattered, to hell with self-sufficiency. What was the point in nurturing a relationship with National City’s superhero – whether acknowledging her dual life or not – if it didn’t mean being saved when Cat needed it most? Not that her stupid, selfish pride stopped her looking for Kara every time the cell door opened a little too forcefully. Surely she’d arrive in a flurry of bricks and twisted metal the moment she heard Cat was taken?

“Wouldn’t you?” Cat murmured aloud, careful to keep her head bowed a little. Damn, she’d been so careful not to give them anything. If they were waiting for a sign of weakness, she’d just handed one to them by doing anything other than yelling about her imprisonment. It felt too good to do something other than yell, though, so she continued. “So why don’t you know I’m missing yet? Someone must have noticed by now.”

She tried not to think of all the obvious ways to fake conversation and appearances, how plausible it would be that Cat would go into hiding after stepping down from her beloved company. Even now, in this bleak concrete cell and with no real idea of what these criminals wanted from her, Cat found herself thinking not just of Supergirl, with her hands on her hips and that emblem on her chest. No, when the fear crept in, when the insecurity about how Cat was handling this whole debacle snuck up on her in dark moments, it was Kara Danvers she most wanted to see. Her soothing presence, those kind eyes. Knowing now Kara’s strength existed in the hugs she gave, just as surely as it did when she was suited and booted as a hero.

Cat had told Kara she was the best assistant she’d ever had. Let her think that meant schedules and travel and bringing the right lettuce wrap. What she hadn’t confessed was two years of Kara attending to her every whim hadn’t only made Cat better at her job, it had let her feel genuinely cared for, looked after in a way she’d so rarely allowed in her lifetime. There were times when the silent concern of a napkin passed, or a more comfortable pair of shoes retrieved had been more effective in calming Cat’s moods than Lexapro and alcohol combined. She could do with that grounding presence now as the faint claustrophobia clawed its way up her throat again.

Before she could work herself up into a storm over that thought, the cell door opened as quietly as it ever had. In stepped one of the lackeys she’d seen only once or twice. Instead of the weaponry and tight clothing, he favored a worn gray fleece and didn’t appear to be carrying much of anything. Older, Cat realized now that he wasn’t sticking to the shadows. A little beat up, with scarring and a few fresh cuts and bruises along his jaw and over his knuckles. Maybe not the most popular thug here at Camp Gun-Toting Asshole. Potential, she thought, now that time was stretching on and she might have to rely on her wits alone to get out of this drab hellhole in one piece.

“Can they hear me?” she asked, the first test of his reason for being here. He shook his head and fiddled with a heavy bracelet at his wrist. It seemed to be a complex weaving of hard plastic and dull metal. Noticing Cat’s attention to it, he pulled his sleeve down.

“Not wired for audio. You do not want to know why they had to take that out.”

 _Screaming._ Cat could read a veiled implication better than most. She swallowed hard. Clearly, she’d been on the VIP package so far then.

“So, what are you bringing me? Food? Water? Another chance to visit those delightful bathroom facilities? They make me nostalgic for Sarajevo in the 90s.”

“I came to warn you.” He practically vibrated with nerves. Cat had handled her share of paranoid sources. This didn’t seem like a flirt her way out kind of man, thank God. Though most of them were in the end, he looked like he’d sooner be at a kids’ soccer game handing out juice boxes, than checking on a prisoner in an underground cell.

“I suppose you know whatever they’re paying you, I could triple it? All you’d have to do is lead me to the nearest exit on my next little walkabout. Name your price. I’m sorry, I don’t think we’ve been formally introduced…?”

“Names don’t matter. But the boss is here tomorrow, we just got word. They took you earlier than they planned and had to just leave you in here, because of your big retirement.”

“Sabbatical.”

“Trust me when I say that’s not going to matter if you don’t cooperate when the project starts. I’ll do what I can, but this isn’t the cute little kidnapping you seem to think it is, Ms. Grant.”

Cat went for the ego. “You know so much. You must be instrumental to these plans. But first, tell me what’s happening with my sons.”

“You’re the only target,” he confirmed, gentling slightly at the question. Perhaps he had children of his own, Cat mused. “The only human prisoner here, in fact.”

“I do prefer exclusivity,” she snarked back, pacing again. Target was a troubling turn of phrase. Despite the wasted time over the past days, this had clearly been well-planned. Cat held back a shuddering sigh of relief. Carter and Adam, safe just as she’d hoped. The use of _human_ suggested others here were something other than, something alien. For a moment, Cat considered the government suits who followed Supergirl into battle; perhaps they’d become aware of the notes Cat kept on a very secure drive about Supergirl’s identity. No, the staff here were paid mercenaries, of that much she was certain. Nothing remotely official about them.

If they were detaining non-humans like this, if they were some kind of bounty hunters, then maybe that explained Kara’s absence. People like that would be dangerous to her, or staying deliberately off her radar.

The man crowded closer to the door, stepping out of Cat’s path as she paced the confines of her cell. “Is this your crisis of conscience? Or just the good cop routine before someone with hardware and a personality disorder comes in later?”

“Not a cop,” he corrected, and his reassuring smile was just a second too slow, not quite reaching his eyes. “A scientist.”

God help her, Cat shivered at that. “Then you’d better tell me what the fuck is going on. When I get out of here, it’s going to make one hell of an exclusive.”

“The less you know, the better.”

“That’s never been true, not even when I got trapped in First Class next to Lena Dunham.” Cat took a chance, grabbing him by the collar of his fleece. He could easily overpower her, but instead held his hands up in surrender. “You tell me how I’m going to get out of here, or I start screaming for Supergirl. We’re close friends, you know. I’ve only been kind to you so far by not summoning her.”

A flash of panic crossed his face, a half-thought almost expressed. Finally, something to rattle one of these punks. Cat cursed her pride for sitting on her trump card this long. It wasn’t often she had to admit she’d called the wrong play, but it was looking that way now. Despite the headlines it garnered, she never had been one for playing the role of damsel in distress. She had to fix this, wrest back control once and for all. She just had to hope she hadn’t endangered Kara by drawing attention to the link between them.

“You leave her out of it!” The closest he’d come to raising that calm voice. “Don’t you think they’re ready for that? For her? The walls are lined with lead, amongst other things. And screaming will do you no good. She can’t hear you. Not here.”

“Is this a Lord Tech facility?” Cat needed facts. She wasn’t sitting around waiting for some boss to show up and menace her like the campiest part of a Bond film. “I haven’t seen a single logo, so it doesn’t suggest his massive ego is in play.”

“Cadmus,” he told her. Cat’s stomach flipped unpleasantly at the news, and she tasted the tang of bile at the back of her throat. She’d been prepared for rogue governments and criminal gangs. What she knew of Cadmus was terrorism, zealots for a cause who didn’t listen to reason.

They heard footsteps in the hall.

“No more food until we bring it,” he added, for the benefit of whoever was approaching. “Spoiled bitch.” He gave her a look bordering on apology before stepping out in the hall and closing the door.

“She asked for caviar yet, Jeremiah?” Something about the name nagged at Cat’s memory for a moment. A connection, perhaps. One of her drivers? The other man reached the door as the viewing grille closed. Cat could still just about hear them if she pressed up against the metal.

“Nah, just bitching about organic something. Like she doesn’t know who she’s playing with.”

“Boss’ll take care of her tomorrow” was the last grunting comment Cat could decipher. For a moment, the horrible stained walls seemed to close in on her, and the urge to claw at the parts where the concrete had chipped or cracked, ruining her manicure for good, bubbled up inside her with brand new urgency. Waiting out incompetent kidnappers was one thing. Mad scientists were quite another, and she’d had a brush with those before, back in Metropolis. They didn’t respond to money and celebrity favors, Cat’s usual fallbacks.

No matter what Jeremiah said about Supergirl being unable to hear her, Cat knew she had to try. She’d attempt an escape by morning, assuming that if they’d kept her alive this long then at least they wouldn’t try to stop her by killing her. She could handle a bit of rough treatment if necessary.

Tipping her head back, and wishing she’d named her something a bit less embarrassing to yell, Cat unleashed days of fear and frustration and impotent rage in three screamed syllables.

***

The warehouse looked like it was about to fall off the cracked asphalt and pitch into the bay. Clicking on her flashlight, Detective Maggie Sawyer shifted slightly to settle her flak jacket on her shoulders. Snooping around an old warehouse in the dark wasn’t the dumbest thing she’d ever done, but Maggie knew it was up there, especially when the perp she was chasing could give Supergirl a run for her money in the heat vision department.

Backup was out of the question, though, so Maggie took a breath, slid her gun out of the holster, and ducked under the rusted shipping door.

Nose wrinkling at the smell of stagnant water and decaying wood, she kept her flashlight pointed toward the floor and her eyes on the darkened interior around her. Taking a deep breath, she noted the hint of charcoal in the air. Someone had been burning something.

Figuring that was a good sign, Maggie advanced deeper into the warehouse. Her gut told her the Infernian wasn’t here, that Scorcher has moved on, but she had to be thorough. Wouldn’t do to miss something with the president’s life on the line.

Her instincts prickled and she frowned, detecting too late the presence at her back. She started to pivot only to have her feet expertly swept out from underneath her. Warm arms grabbed her from behind, her windbreaker scraping against the gear on a tactical vest as she and her attacker tumbled toward the ground. She caught a whiff of gun oil and citrus before hitting the floor with enough force to make her teeth rattle.

Grunting in pain, she used her training to lash out, but her assailant was good. Damn good. Maggie was quickly and effectively subdued, but when her attacker finally sat up, pinning Maggie’s arms to the floor with her knees, she was startled to see a woman.

“FBI. Where are they?” the agent demanded, gun pressing into Maggie’s vest with intent. Her auburn hair brushed her chin as she breathed, slow and even, and Maggie was pissed the other woman hadn’t even broken a sweat taking her down.

“FBI or NFL?” Maggie groused. “They teach you to tackle like that at Quantico?” She stopped struggling. If she had to be pinned to the floor, at least it was by an agent who might be on her side.

The agent frowned as others clad in all black fanned out around them. “Where are they?” she repeated.

“They who?” Maggie snapped. “You know, if you’d identified yourself properly from the beginning, I’d have done the same. On my belt? Left side.”

Shifting minutely, the agent reached her hand between them, and Maggie’s stomach twitched as warm fingers slid over it before yanking her badge free. “You could buy me dinner first,” she muttered.

Studying the badge for a moment, the agent finally holstered her weapon then rocked back onto her heels and got to her feet, grabbing Maggie’s hand and hauling her off the floor. “Sorry, Detective.” She reached into her back pocket and produced her own identification, flashing it at Maggie with little regard. “Alex Danvers. FBI.”

“Like hell.” Maggie glanced around to see what the other agents were doing. “You’re DEO. I’ve heard enough about your black ops raids to know one when I see one.”

Danvers narrowed her eyes. “And you are?”

“Detective Maggie Sawyer, NCPD Science Division.” She bent down to scoop up her weapon before sliding it into her holster. Her flashlight followed. “Want to tell me what you’re doing here?”

“You first,” Danvers answered, keeping an eye on her team. The agent would have been hot if she weren’t so insufferable.

“A source tipped me off. Said I might find an Infernian I’ve been tracking.”

“You’re looking for an alien?” Danvers focused on her with a little more interest now.

Maggie’s jaw tightened, but she was mildly impressed. “Yeah, that’s kind of our thing. Word on the street is she’s gunning for the president.”

“And your source is?”

“You know better than to ask me that.” Maggie took her badge as the agent handed it back, clipping it with a huff onto her belt. “And don’t even think about hauling me into one of your black sites to try to get it out of me.”

“Wouldn’t dream of it,” Danvers said, but her tone was borderline amused by Maggie’s bluster.

Okay, Maggie allowed, the agent was a _little_ hot.

“No sign of her, Agent Danvers,” one of the other operatives announced and Alex nodded. Maggie was surprised to realize Danvers was in charge; not many people led from the front once they jumped a rank or two.

“Well, Detective, looks like we’re after the same hostile. Maybe we should talk. Compare notes.”

“Interagency cooperation?” Maggie asked dubiously.

“Something like that.”

“Why do I get the feeling it’s more like I cooperate, you take all my leads, and the Infernian disappears in a deep dark hole somewhere?” Maggie meant every word, but she felt like a hypocrite saying them.

Danvers stared at her for a moment, debating. “Where would you put her?”

“Up to me? I’d give her due process before I put her anywhere. She should have the same rights as anyone else.” Maggie glanced at some of the agents moving in and out of the rooms. God, she missed saying this stuff and being able to mean it. “Scorcher deserves her day in court.” If she ever got one. From the moment Maggie got hold of her, it would be a ticking clock before the nod from her boss came.

“Scorcher? Charming.” Danvers sighed, but she eyed Maggie with a hint of respect before motioning to the other agents to move out. “I’ll be in touch. See you around, Sawyer.”

Maggie watched them go, and despite her misgivings about the DEO and their methods, she couldn’t help but linger on the thought of Alex Danvers’ half-smile.

***

Cat timed her run almost to perfection.

She’d noticed one of the guards had a limp, favoring his right leg as he walked. He also tended to take over shift from the biggest of the men watching her, the one who dashed off the minute he heard his colleague coming down the corridor. On her trips to the godawful restroom, Cat had spotted a badly-concealed door behind some crates, possibly a fire exit. There was no guarantee it would open, but it was her only realistic chance of getting out of there before the ‘boss’ appeared.

Changeover had already gotten sloppy, each of them trying to leave bathroom breaks and other errands to the next guard in the rotation. That meant Cat could catch the limping guard by surprise just as he started to swing her door open, and it gave her the leverage she needed over a much bigger opponent. The adrenaline at the thought of escape put some juice behind her sprint, even barefoot, and she pulled the empty crates away from the door with ease.

Only to slam into a very locked, very rusted door. Her shoulder practically screamed in protest. She might have screamed herself in sheer frustration. With more time, by taking it more seriously, she might have come up with a workable plan. Somewhere in her yelling for Kara and other moments of weakness, she hadn’t quite given up hope Supergirl really would come. That seemed especially futile now, recaptured and in pain. She could have had a weapon ready for this part. Instead she only heard running footsteps coming to gather her up from both directions, cutting off even the possibility of a suicidal dash into the unknown corridor they’d never taken her down.

Hands grabbed her with bruising force, and Cat winced as they dragged her onto her feet, all but carrying her kicking and cursing back to her cell. They tossed her inside, none too gently, and Cat waited for the clang of the metal door to follow, caging her once more, but it never came.

“I warned them not to underestimate you.” The voice, feminine and honeyed, rolled out of the dimly lit hallway, and Cat went still in surprise, her heart sinking in her chest when she recognized it. Her past was coming back to haunt her. “I see standards are slipping in my absence.”

There was a click of high heels on concrete. Cat sighed at the sound, usually her own personal soundtrack. Instead she’d been ruining her pedicure on hard stone floors. Feeling every bit as exposed as her feet, and with a wry smile to herself, Cat realized she should have known she’d someday miss the $500 heels she kicked off the moment she was alone – or with Kara – in her office. The goons parted, and the woman finally revealed herself.

Lillian Luthor.

“Hello, Cat.” Lillian smiled, her gaze raking over Cat’s disheveled appearance with barely contained mirth. “I’d apologize for the less than comfortable accommodations, but you won’t remember them anyway by the time I’m done.”

Cat’s feud with Lois was well-known in the media and real world alike, but her vendetta against Lillian was a private one, clutched furiously in the dark depths of Cat’s life she’d never shared with the public. While the animosity ran deep on both sides, Cat couldn’t imagine what in their shared history would lead Lillian to an act such as this. She’d barely acknowledged the woman in years, aside from the odd glare at a fundraiser or gala.

Never intimidated by a Luthor before, Cat would be damned if she started now. Placing her hands on her hips, she sauntered closer, treating Lillian like she would a hostile board member. “Lillian. Should have known you were behind Cadmus. Their little shadow organization is right up your alley. Over the top and unhinged. Not to mention completely lacking in taste.”

Lillian’s left brow arched. “I’m not surprised you figured out who we are.” Cat cursed inwardly. Rusty and off her game, she might have played a big card too soon. “You always were smart, Cat. It’s those brilliant brains of yours I plan to make use of, in fact.”

Cat swallowed, her vivid imagination interpreting that in all manner of ways, but Lillian was too pleased with her plans to keep them to herself.

“I actually need your help.”

“Well,” Cat drawled in a mocking tone. “Since you asked so nicely…”

Lillian ignored her with practiced ease. They’d been playing these games for almost two decades now. “I’m going to stop an alien apocalypse, Cat, and you’re going to help me. You and that pretty media empire of yours. You’re going to pave the way for the public to accept our leadership, and you’re going to do it with a smile.”

A chill went through Cat’s blood as Lillian came closer, her heels once more clicking smartly on the floor.

“Together, Cat, you and I are going to save the world. Aren’t you glad I thought of you?”

“I won’t help you,” Cat vowed, beginning to understand what this was all about. The magnitude of the danger she was in, of the danger she could become to others, finally hit her. Right alongside the final part of the realization that there was no one coming to save her. Not this time. Giving in had never come easy to her, and giving up on the hope of a heroic rescue was harder still. People, including Kara, assumed Cat had wanted National City’s own Super just for the circulation boost; how surprised they’d be to know it was also because she believed in what those heroes stood for, too.

“Oh, but you will,” Lillian said, savoring the moment. “But don’t give in too quickly, Cat. Let me have a little fun first.”

***

“Try again.”

Kara swallowed back another wounded remark as she snatched up the third draft of her article off Snapper’s desk. She’d barely slept since he rejected her first attempt last night, cutting and polishing and scouring for more sources. Now another day had come and gone, another chance to warn the public wasted. She adjusted her glasses, trying to control her frustration. _Big girl pants._ “I worked hard on that…” she challenged.

“Boo hoo. Work harder. When’s it going to sink into that blonde head of yours? Keep your bias out of your work, Danvers.” He kept his head down, his glasses nearly slipping off the end of his nose as he jotted notes on someone else’s draft.

“But…” Kara started, but the protest died on her tongue. It was heavy in her mouth, her brain sluggish from a lack of rest that even a Kryptonian paid for eventually.

“You want to write slanted articles? Go work for someone else. Plenty of unethical, so-called news organizations that’ll take you, but in my newsroom, we have standards.”

“Ms. Grant would have…” Kara stopped talking when Snapper finally looked up at her, his small eyes glittering and cold, and she knew she’d just misstepped big time.

“Let’s get one thing straight. Your Puff Princess is gone. Whatever _cozy_ arrangement you had with her all those late nights, well, those benefits don’t cover you with me. Understood?”

Anger bloomed in Kara’s chest. It was one thing for him to treat her with disrespect, but she’d be damned if he did the same to Cat.

“I don’t like what you’re implying,” Kara fired back, heat crawling up her spine at the notion that she… that she and Cat… Rao it was getting hot in here. _Cozy._ Her words tripped off her tongue now. “You don’t get to suggest Ms. Grant would have acted inappropriately…”

“So, I should deal in facts?” Snapper confirmed.

“Yes!”

He smacked the edge of her article. “You first.”

Blinking, Kara rocked back, the lesson hitting her like a slap across the face.

“A good reporter is objective, Ponytail. Share the facts and the story practically tells itself. It’s up to the reader to decide what to make of them. Not you. Give me truth, not slant. Got it?”

“Yes, sir,” she ground out.

“Want to know the real kicker, Danvers? Cat Grant would tell you the same damn thing.”

Kara gave a begrudging nod, knowing it was true. “I’ll rewrite it.”

“Damn right you will. Now get out of my office. I expect to see a clean, final draft on my desk tomorrow morning before I’ve finished my coffee and danish. Only then am I going to consider letting you anywhere near a presidential event. Got me?”

“Yes, Chief.”

Snapper waved her off, and Kara walked away, humiliated, but frustratingly wiser for it.

Most of the bullpen was empty as she headed for the elevators, but the light was on in Cat’s office, warm and beckoning. Sighing, Kara couldn’t resist stepping inside, her eyes lingering longingly on Cat’s chair. Snapper was toughening her up, she knew that, but right now she would have given anything for one of Cat’s pep talks, even a caustic one.

Kara sat on the sofa where she’d spent many an hour over the last two years. Grabbing a pillow, she brought it to her chest, still able to detect the faint trace of Cat’s perfume on the fabric, but it was already beginning to fade, giving ground to James’s less familiar aftershave. Wearily, she pulled out her phone, settling her chin on the pillow and breathing Cat in as she opened her text messages.

She clicked on Cat’s name. Her last text to Kara had been a lunch order, given before everything had changed. One of the last errands Kara had run as Cat’s assistant. It had only been a little over a week ago, but it seemed like a lifetime.

 _I miss you,_ Kara typed, tears welling up in her eyes and blurring her words. _I want you to know that._

Her thumb hovered over the screen as she debated the wisdom of sharing that particular truth.

“Deal in facts, Kara,” she whispered to herself.

She pushed send.

***

Even though her body was riddled with exhaustion, Cat couldn’t stop moving. She’d wanted to dive, needing new waters to distract her from things she couldn’t have and shouldn’t want, but now she was truly like the shark in the tank she’d mentioned to Kara. Right now, she was moving to stay afloat, to stay alive.

Her heart thudded in her chest, keeping up a rapid tempo ever since Lillian’s departure hours before. No amount of meditation or mindfulness could calm it, and Cat had tried every fad going on that front. Whatever Lillian had planned for her, Cat knew the endgame now: using CatCo as a propaganda machine for Cadmus.

As much as the thought of her beloved company being used by anyone was like a stab to the chest, Cat had to concede the plan was brilliant. Cadmus could twist the public’s perception of aliens so delicately few would ever notice it happening. Some subtle, anti-alien bias slipped into a magazine here, a television report there. Add a little slant… it wouldn’t take long for the feeblest minds to get on board. No one would expect it from Cat Grant, champion of Supergirl and advocate for alien amnesty. They were looking for something to blame, to hate. Aliens would be an easy target. The rest of the public would take a little longer, but that herd mentality would kick in eventually. It always did.

Cadmus could fight a war without firing a shot, priming the public to accept them as their saviors, and all they needed to do it was her. Cat was the perfect pawn. If they could control her, they had unprecedented access to a captive audience. It was a responsibility Cat had struggled with over the years, that awesome power to shape and influence. She’d earned it, respected it, and almost always used it wisely. Now these criminals – _terrorists_ – were going to pervert everything she’d built CatCo to protect and uphold.

Kara, who had come to this world as a last resort, would become the enemy, would become something to be hunted down and killed or locked away. Her and all the aliens like her. Would Lillian make Cat despise her? Could she? It didn’t seem possible that anyone could hate sunny Kara Danvers, and yet Cat had already seen the evidence for herself, up close and personal thanks to Siobhan and Leslie. Somehow, the thought of looking at Kara and feeling anything less than fondness chilled Cat where no other fear could touch. Even in her worst moods, she’d always been faintly charmed or comforted by Kara’s presence.

The lock turned, and the door swung open. Lillian, dressed in a lab coat and more practical shoes now, stood there with a smile. Her pale eyes were nearly glittering with excitement.

“Shall we begin?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please don't forget to leave kudos or a comment if you've enjoyed this chapter of the virtual season. Questions always welcome too!
> 
> Major props to supercattuccino ([ao3](http://archiveofourown.org/users/krystalgoderitch) | [tumblr](http://supercattuccino.tumblr.com/ask)) and spaceshipsarecool ([ao3](http://archiveofourown.org/users/spaceshipsarecool) | [tumblr](http://spaceshipsarecool.tumblr.com/ask)) for their beta work on all episodes so far!


	5. Act III

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A quick refresher on the previous scenes at the DEO featuring Alex, Kara, J'onn and Winn.  
  
---  
  
This gifset was created by @mitski ([ao3](http://archiveofourown.org/users/mitski) | [tumblr](http://mitski.tumblr.com)). You can leave comments about it here, or hit the [tumblr ask box](http://mitski.tumblr.com/ask).

Click Next Chapter to read tonight's instalment of Episode 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please don't forget to leave kudos or a comment if you've enjoyed this chapter of the virtual season. Questions always welcome too!


	6. Act III

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lillian unveils her plans for Cat, while Kara checks in with Lucy. Maggie and Alex compare notes, and Alex learns J’onn might not be the only Green Martian in National City.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Title gifs created by @xy0009 ([ao3](http://archiveofourown.org/users/xy0009) | [tumblr](http://xy0009.tumblr.com))

The sun was just coming up as Kara – out of habit, and because it was nearer to the site of the brief battle – flew the slime-spouting aliens she’d rounded up to the desert DEO base. She was still a little pissed no one had mentioned there was another office four blocks from CatCo for the best part of a year. Even though her speed made it negligible, it still would have saved some valuable time. By happy coincidence, her cleaning off the slime had Kara walking out of the locker rooms just in time to almost collide with Lucy Lane.

“Well, well, Supergirl.” Lucy greeted her with a hug. “I thought you’d given up on us here for city life.”

“Lucy! Have a nice time at your dad’s wedding?”

“I think I preferred the part where the world almost ended right before it,” Lucy admitted, gesturing with a slight jerk of her head that they should walk. “This is his fourth. You’d think I’d be used to it.” They moved down the hall side-by-side. “How’s life at CatCo _sans_ Cat? I still can’t believe she actually left.”

Neither could Kara. Every time she passed Cat’s office and didn’t see her familiar petite frame behind the desk, Kara’s heart clenched just a little. Not getting a reply to her hasty text hadn’t helped either, increasing the pangs every time Kara checked her phone to see no new notification bearing Cat’s name. “Honestly? It sucks. Snapper is… an _ass_. I’m clueless at this reporter thing. James is too busy to even talk to me…”

“That’s probably not why James is avoiding you,” Lucy pointed out gently. “You know, I was happy for you two. It’s weird for me, so I won’t pry, but I’m surprised you guys blew out so fast.”

Guilt was becoming a familiar emotion whenever Kara thought of James. She sighed. “It just… after everything… it didn’t feel right. I wish I could undo what happened. Go back and encourage James to stay with you.”

“You did that, remember?” Lucy shrugged. “James and I ending had nothing to do with you, Kara. We just didn’t work.” She lightly squeezed Kara’s arm. “Don’t beat yourself up on my account. A petty part of me is actually enjoying that you already dumped him.”

Kara wiped a hand over her mouth to suppress a grin. She was glad she’d made the trip out. Seeing Lucy brightened her spirits. “It’s for the best. James barely has time to breathe, let alone date anyone. I don’t know how Cat did it. Balancing a media empire. All the public appearances. Raising a great kid.”

“You miss her,” Lucy murmured, a thin trace of surprise in her voice.

The ache that bloomed in Kara’s chest, sweet and hard, made her close her eyes. She’d give just about anything to see Cat smile at her right now. “Yeah.”

Lucy bumped her lightly with her shoulder. “You talk to her since she left?”

“I caved and sent a text last night. I’ve been trying not to, I mean… she’s _Cat_. She values her privacy, and I was just her assistant…”

“Kara, Cat likes you,” Lucy promised. “You matter to her. She always listened to you.” Kara frowned and Lucy nudged her with her shoulder again. “You’re a legend at CatCo for being able to soothe the savage beast. According to Lois, you’re just as famous at the Daily Planet for the same reason. That’s someone who Cat needs to keep in her life, trust me.”

Kara scowled playfully at the description of her former boss. “Cat was never that bad.”

“Yes, she was. You just made her better.”

“Well, that went both ways,” Kara said quietly as they stepped into central command. “I wouldn’t have made it as Supergirl without her.”

“Then text her again. Or call her. It’s so easy to ignore a text, or swear you’ll reply later. If nothing else, you’ll know where you stand. And maybe she wants to hear from you as much as you want to hear from her. Maybe she wants to know you weren’t just being polite.”

“I don’t want to look pathetic. She’s expecting me to make her proud. Not whine at her about how much I miss her.”

Lucy raised an eyebrow at that, and Kara furiously began to backpedal.

“I miss her the normal amount, I mean. Two years of working together all day. You know what? I should get going. I don’t know how often I’ll get out here now with the new orders, so let’s grab coffee sometime.”

“What new orders?” Lucy rifled quickly through the paperwork in her arms. “They’re not closing me down just when I got my own command, are they? I mean, J’onn is still director, but…”

“No, the whole ‘refocusing on the DEO’s primary objective’ thing.”

“What? This is literally the first I’m hearing about it. Sounds like something my dad would order, but he’s not the Lane in charge here, I am. I’ll get into it.”

“Thanks,” Kara said, pulling Lucy into another quick hug. It was nice these days she had friends she could hug readily, who wouldn’t be startled if her strength wasn’t kept completely in check. “But don’t go to any trouble. J’onn is in a mood.”

“Don’t forget to text her again!” Lucy called playfully as Kara headed for the exit. Before she was all the way airborne, Kara had her phone in her hand.

***

“In the chair with her, boys. I don’t have all day,” Lillian commanded.

Her anxiety off the charts, Cat would have given up almost anything she owned for a scotch and a Lexapro right about now. She had a thug on either arm, dragging her bodily into a large room where a dentist-style chair sat waiting ominously inside a glass tank, one side open to let them throw her in. Restraints immediately snapped in place over her wrists and ankles. Not gently, either.

“You’re really going to Manchurian Candidate me?” Cat called out, trying to work out where her captor had gone in the cavernous underground laboratory. Dark brickwork, poor lighting, and enough equipment to power a small city dominated the space. It was making Cat nostalgic for her ugly little cell.

Lillian wandered into view, clearly enjoying Cat’s apprehension. “For most people, this process usually takes a day, maybe two. After that, a little reinforcement from time to time in case your perverted view on aliens starts to rear its ugly head again. Really, Cat, I’m doing you a favor,” Lillian said with amusement. “I know firsthand how Kryptonians can get close to you, convince you with their pretty eyes and their charming smiles they’re your friends, when all they really want is to dominate us all.”

Cat swallowed as she looked around, spying Jeremiah to her right. He wouldn’t meet her gaze. No help there. Her hands shook, but she was strangely calmer now that the moment of truth had come. “That’s right. Superman finally locked your beloved Lexie away, didn’t he? How many life sentences did he get?”

“You keep Lex’s name out of your mouth.” Pure venom, the society matriarch voice gone in an instant. Cat enjoyed finally inflicting a tiny bit of payback. She could push that particular button all day. She’d never had much time for Lex, or his father before him, too busy building a career to spite men exactly like them.

“What’s with the chair, Lillian? Wasn’t it a hygienist that Lionel had the bastard offspring with? Is this some kind of homage? No, that’s right, it was your _nanny_.”

“Well, you would know. After all, the _great_ Cat Grant made her name breaking that exclusive in her tired little gossip column. You fill in the blanks.”

Lillian stepped closer, and Cat pushed against the back of the chair. Instead of lashing out, however, Lillian simply waved her hand over part of the glass and the tank seemed to magically seal shut. Knowing it was futile, Cat still strained against her bonds. If she showed enough fight, it might hide how she’d shrunk back in fear when Lillian approached.

“Jeremiah, prepare the first dose. I want to watch this one.”

“Dose of what?” Cat snapped.

“Always with the questions,” Lillian replied as Jeremiah reluctantly began to program something into the console next to the tank. “I told you, that journalistic brain of yours is why you’re here, _Kitty_. So relax, because there’s absolutely nothing you can do to stop me.”

Cat braced herself for electric currents, for the glinting points of needles, or a hundred other horrors that flickered through her imagination at an alarming rate. Instead, the glass walls around her shimmered, becoming screens with alarmingly high definition.

“I hear you’ve been calling for your pet alien,” Lillian scolded, tutting under her breath. “Well here she is. Enjoy her while you can, Cat.”

Images of Supergirl sprang vividly to life around her, the clarity so startling Cat could see every fiber of her suit, every strand of golden hair. Cat’s heart leapt with hope for the first time in days. She couldn’t think of anything else when she saw Kara, and she was determined not to let Lillian take that away from her.

Kara vanished a moment later as videos of the damage caused by Supergirl’s fights, her enemies, the destruction she so often caused when saving lives, swept across the screens. Cat rolled her eyes at the heavy-handed approach, already sensing Lillian’s narrative. “You’re going to torture me with bad storytelling?” Cat sniped. “I could watch Fox News for that.”

“Well, perhaps you’ll teach us to do better when you’re done,” Lillian answered snidely. “Jeremiah? Be a dear and give Cat her first taste of Mercy.”

A hissing sound filled the air. Cat tensed as a fine mist drifted over her, settling on her skin, her exposed arms, her face, the deep vee of the scrub top. It soaked through her clothing instantly. She wriggled, as though it could buy her some distance from it. Expecting it to burn or sting, she took a deep breath and closed her eyes. Nothing. The slightest feeling of vertigo, and the misting on her body evaporated quickly.

“If this is some kind of commentary on my skincare regime you could just have sent over some La Prairie!”

Cat watched Kara fly away from a scene of chaos and destruction, chasing down the low budget Iron Man who’d given her so much trouble. People scrambled in fear, getting injured in the process. Cars flipped, windows smashed, but Supergirl didn’t halt one second in her dogged pursuit. The flicker of the cape reminded her of that night on the balcony, of saying goodbye when it should have been ‘see you soon.’

It was easy at first. To scoff, to roll her eyes at the ham-fisted propaganda. Did Lillian really think anyone as strong-willed as Cat would be susceptible to something with the depth of an Oscars montage? But something in her gut twisted at the thought she might look at that beautiful young woman and feel nothing but hate. Kara smiled as she picked herself up off the ground after winning the battle, and Cat forced herself to focus on that. If Kara could fight, so could she.

Because Kara never gave up, never stopped just because something was dangerous, not if it meant she could save someone else. So maybe she hadn’t heard Cat’s screams yet, or noticed she was missing. All Cat had to do was give Kara time. If she could hold up that end of the bargain, she still had faith Kara would honor hers.

This was no time to stop counting on Supergirl.

***

“Sawyer.”

Maggie glanced up, squinting into the light from her desk lamp. Although she had secretly hoped to run into Alex Danvers again, she was less than thrilled to find her _here_ , standing beside her desk. Dressed casually in jeans, a dark, heather gray t-shirt and a leather jacket, Alex was obviously trying to blend in, but her very posture screamed Fed to everyone in the room.

“Danvers,” Maggie muttered, wishing Alex had picked literally any other place to follow up.

The bullpen quieted in Alex’s presence. Maggie’s back tightened with awareness, expecting a knife between her shoulder blades at any second. She had to think quickly before the other detectives suspected she was working with the enemy, or worse, ratting them out.

Alex opened her mouth to explain her reason for stopping by, but Maggie didn’t give her the chance.

“I told you, we’re done.”

Blinking, Alex’s teeth clicked together. “Done?” Her brow furrowed in confusion.

“We were fun while we lasted, Danvers, but you need to move on. I’m not going to tell you again.” Maggie lifted an eyebrow, willing Alex to catch on and play along.

Alex glanced around the room before her gaze landed back on Maggie. “You don’t get to tell me what to do, Maggie. Especially since you won’t talk to me.”

A wisp of a smile spread over Maggie’s lips. For a Fed, Danvers was pretty smart. “Fine. You can buy me dinner for old time’s sake and we’ll talk. Then we’re over.” She stood and grabbed her leather jacket, pleased to see the other detectives amused by her apparent lesbian drama. “Shall we?”

***

“Want to tell me what that was all about?” Alex asked blithely, moderating her longer stride to keep pace with the shorter woman. A cool breeze blew off the bay, combatting the muggy heat of the early evening that draped the city like a damp blanket. Alex studied Maggie curiously, finally getting a good look at her in the fading light of the day.

“Let’s just say I did you a favor.” Maggie looked tired, wincing a little as she shucked off her jacket. Alex wondered if that was her fault. She _had_ slammed the detective into the floor pretty hard the night before.

Their destination appeared to be the taco truck Alex could just make out a couple of blocks away. “By dumping me before I even got to first base?” She laughed at the notion, but her temperature elevated slightly. She hadn’t meant to flirt.

Maggie shot her a look, assessing her before focusing back on the crowded sidewalk. “My colleagues aren’t a fan of the Feds, Agent Danvers.”

“And you are?”

Shrugging, Maggie squinted a little as the setting sun glinted off some nearby buildings. “Most of the time I just want to catch the bad guys. I don’t care who slaps the cuffs on them. Except when it’s _your_ crew, but that’s only because nobody ever knows what happens next.”

Alex shrugged off the thinly veiled fishing for classified information; she’d had years of practice at diverting Kara if need be. At least she and Sawyer shared a similar outlook on the chase of it all. “You thought it was better to let your colleagues think you’re gay?”

“Pretty sure half the room thought you were a Fed and the rest figured you were my girlfriend. I went with the option that would let us talk.” Maggie stopped, pivoting to look at her. “Did I embarrass you or something?”

“No,” Alex huffed, a blush creeping annoyingly up her neck.

“You wouldn’t be the first girlfriend to stop by and stir up a little trouble for me, Danvers.”

Alex swallowed hard, feeling like she’d just had the breath knocked out of her. “Oh…” Maggie tilted her head, waiting on the rest of Alex’s reaction. “Good plan then,” she finished lamely.

Some of the tension in Maggie’s petite frame lessened, and she turned, starting forward again. After a moment of shame, Alex followed.

“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have assumed…”

“That I was straight?”

“Well, yeah.” Alex wasn’t either, but she barely dated, few people ever capturing her interest enough to pry her away from protecting Kara. It was just easier, staying uninvolved.

Maggie nodded as they came up to the truck, getting in line behind a handful of people in business attire. Alex noted with relief none of them looked like cops.

“I’ve got two strikes with most of the detectives in my division. I’m a girl, and I’m gay. Fraternizing with the Feds would be the last straw.”

“Got it. I’ll be sure to call you names and accuse you of being lousy in bed if I have to come by again.” The blush crept ever higher, but Alex was pleased she’d managed the comeback without stuttering.

Maggie looked at her in surprise, a smile darting across her lips. She had dimples, Alex realized, and her own features eased into a grin in response to them.

“Not bad. Didn’t think you had it in you,” Maggie teased. Alex didn’t know she did either. God, why had she skipped basic social skills in favor of racing towards her MD and PhD? Kara had the excuse of being an alien at least, but Alex had lived on this planet her whole life and still didn’t entirely understand how to genuinely flirt and be flirted with.

They stepped up to order, but Alex waved Maggie off as she reached for her wallet. “I’m buying, remember? Besides, I owe you one for tackling you yesterday.” It was the least she could do.

The guy in the window eyed them both with a raised eyebrow.

“Yeah you do,” Maggie decided. “I think I’ll order extra.”

***

Cat had no idea how much time had passed. Minutes? Days? Weeks? Whatever substance they kept spraying into the tank, it encouraged Cat’s mind to seize on the images around her and make them her reality, the illusions so real she could feel the heat of the National City sun, hear the screams as people ran from the battle being waged overhead, smell the blood of the injured.

_If Supergirl wasn’t here, everyone would be safe._

“No,” Cat whispered. That thought wasn’t her own. That’s what they wanted her to believe, but Cat knew better. If Kara were gone, more people would be hurt. More people would die. “No,” Cat ground out again.

They’d underestimated her, how deep her faith in Kara ran. More than faith, more than simple trust. Cat had placed her life in Kara’s hands, and even in those darkest moments, Kara had never truly let her down. Those feelings, deep as they ran, wouldn’t be so easily swept aside.

“I’m impressed, Cat,” Lillian’s voice drifted, disembodied, around her. “We’ll just have to try a little harder. Increase the dose of Mercy.” As Cat gritted her teeth for another round, she had to give Lillian points for the irony of the name.

***

Snapper sighed and tossed Kara’s fifth draft down on the table. “All right, Danvers.”

“It’s good?” Kara asked hopefully. “You’re going to run with it?”

“No. It’s not _as_ bad. I’m just tired of you bothering me, Ponytail. You obviously want the damn story more than any other slacker in here, so knock yourself out. You’re on the president. Go get me something I can use. Without your sticky, biased little fingerprints all over it this time.”

“I will do that, Chief. Thank you, Chief.” Kara gave him a tight smile, resisting the urge to either hug or salute him when he fixed her with a long-suffering glare.

He flicked his wrist in a ‘go away’ gesture that was almost Cat-like, and Kara suppressed a giggle at the thought. She scurried away before Snapper changed his mind. Rounding the corner, Kara spied James and waved, eager for a chance to tell him the good news. It would be nice to share something other than her complicated feelings about Cat’s silence. James merely dipped his head in polite greeting, clearly on his way to a meeting.

Winn’s old desk looked barren without his collection of action figures littering the surface, and she hadn’t seen the inside of the art department since James moved into Cat’s office. Nothing was the same anymore, and Kara suddenly, desperately needed something… normal.

Stepping into the elevator, Kara went two floors down. She made her way to their superfriends’ office, wondering idly how nobody had noticed the unallocated space yet. When she went inside, everything was just as they had left it, and she breathed out a sigh of relief.

Kara flopped down on the plastic-covered couch and pulled out her phone. Still no messages from Cat, and that was after she’d texted her three more times that morning. It was starting to feel like she was being deliberately ignored. With Cat, whose phone was rarely out of her sight, that took considerable effort. “Maybe she’s flying somewhere,” Kara muttered out loud. “Or… maybe she’s sleeping in another time zone.”

The excuses felt like just that. Excuses.

Maybe she just didn’t mean as much to Cat Grant as Kara had hoped.

***

“So, what do you know about this Scorcher?” Alex asked while Maggie polished off her fourth soft taco. She might be tiny, but the detective could give Kara a run for her money in her ability to put away food. Clearly Maggie worked it all off, if the muscles visible through her long sleeve t-shirt were any indication.

They sat at one of a handful of tables, most of the crowd having disappeared shortly after they arrived.

“Had a run-in or two with her, honestly. She mostly keeps her nose clean. Petty crimes have been the worst of it.”

“And she’s escalating to assassination?”

“Found some ambition, I guess.” Maggie wiped her hands on a napkin. “The Alien Amnesty Act is rubbing a lot of people the wrong way. Some aliens think it’s about exposing them, not protecting them.”

“That include you?” Alex asked carefully.

Shaking her head, Maggie took a sip of her soda, her shoulders tensing no matter how much she tried to seem casual about it. “I’m not like you DEO agents. Different doesn’t always mean a threat. And if someone commits a crime against aliens, I try to be there to defend them. Not a lot of law enforcement can say that, can they?”

“We call them hostiles for a reason,” Alex said defensively. “It’s not like we’re out there locking up Supergirl.”

“Of course not. She looks like us.”

Alex bristled at the implication. “You obviously haven’t heard that we have an alien in charge now. A Green Martian.”

Maggie sat back a little in surprise. “Really?”

Smug, Alex nodded.

“Huh. Here I thought I knew the only Green Martian.”

Alex went still, her eyes widening slightly. “What?”

“Friend of mine. M’gann. She runs my favorite bar.” Maggie started to reach for her drink again, but Alex gripped her arm.

“You know a _Green_ Martian?”

“That’s what I said, Danvers. I thought they were all but extinct, but…”

“They are extinct,” Alex insisted. Realizing she was still holding Maggie’s arm, she let go. “You don’t understand. This… finding out there is another one of my director’s kind? That’s huge. He thought he was the last.”

Maggie’s expression gentled. “Guess we’ll have to introduce them some time.”

Alex nodded, trying to absorb what this news would mean to J’onn. Where Kara had failed to find a connection with the Daxamite in their custody, J’onn could get a piece of his life back. Maybe he would no longer feel so alone. It put another harsh blast of perspective on her own halted search for her father. She’d had fourteen good years with him, still had her mom and sister to ease the loss. Compared to what J’onn and Kara had gone through, it seemed almost pedestrian. It didn’t make the pain in Alex’s chest whenever she thought of him hurt any less, no matter how much empathy she tried to have for the people she cared about.

“You’re excited for him,” Maggie said, as though filing the information away for future use. Alex blushed a little at having given so much away. “You must like the guy.”

As upset as she was at J’onn lately, Alex wanted this for him. “Look… two of the people I trust most, that I trust completely with my own life, are aliens. You’re preaching to the choir, Sawyer. I might be wary of aliens until I know their motivations, but I don’t treat humans any differently.”

Maggie eyed her, and Alex realized she’d just been put to some sort of test, unable to deny that she hoped she’d passed. Wordlessly, Maggie reached into her pocket and produced a flash drive. “Figured you would show up today. This is everything I have on your Infernian, including my personal notes.” Alex started to reach for it, but Maggie pulled back. “None of this gets back to me, Danvers. I’m not kidding. I’m in a… tight spot right now. Don’t make it worse for me.” She handed her the drive.

Alex took it slowly, their fingers brushing. “Are you in some kind of trouble?”

“Nothing I can’t handle.” Maggie got to her feet, slipping on her leather jacket before picking up her soda. “Just put that to good use, okay? Protect the president. That’s all the thanks I need.”

“Maggie,” Alex said slowly, reluctant to let her go.

“Don’t go getting soft on me,” Maggie said with a weak grin. “I’ll reach out to M’gann and be in touch.” She stared at Alex a moment. “Stay safe, Agent Danvers.”

Troubled, Alex watched Maggie walk away, her grip tightening protectively around the flash drive.

“You too.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please don't forget to leave kudos or a comment if you've enjoyed this chapter of the virtual season. Questions always welcome too!
> 
> Major props to supercattuccino ([ao3](http://archiveofourown.org/users/krystalgoderitch) | [tumblr](http://supercattuccino.tumblr.com/ask)) and spaceshipsarecool ([ao3](http://archiveofourown.org/users/spaceshipsarecool) | [tumblr](http://spaceshipsarecool.tumblr.com/ask)) for their beta work on all episodes so far!


	7. Act IV

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Previously on Supergirl Virtual Season...
> 
> Her anxiety off the charts, Cat would have given up almost anything she owned for a scotch and a Lexapro right about now. She had a thug on either arm, dragging her bodily into a large room where a dentist-style chair sat waiting ominously inside a glass tank, one side open to let them throw her in. Restraints immediately snapped in place over her wrists and ankles. Not gently, either.
> 
> “You’re really going to Manchurian Candidate me?” Cat called out, trying to work out where her captor had gone in the cavernous underground laboratory. Dark brickwork, poor lighting, and enough equipment to power a small city dominated the space. It was making Cat nostalgic for her ugly little cell.

Amazing art by @pinkrabbitpro ([ao3 | ](http://archiveofourown.org/users/pinkrabbitpro)[tumblr](http://pinkrabbitpro.tumblr.com)). Leave comments here or hit the [tumblr ask box](http://pinkrabbitpro.tumblr.com/ask).

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please don't forget to leave kudos or a comment if you've enjoyed this chapter of the virtual season. Questions always welcome too!
> 
> Major props to supercattuccino ([ao3](http://archiveofourown.org/users/krystalgoderitch) | [tumblr](http://supercattuccino.tumblr.com/ask)) and spaceshipsarecool ([ao3](http://archiveofourown.org/users/spaceshipsarecool) | [tumblr](http://spaceshipsarecool.tumblr.com/ask)) for their beta work on all episodes so far!


	8. Act IV

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kara reaches out to Cat and gets an unexpected response. Cat realizes why Cadmus want her. Alex and Maggie get a real lead on their target, while James and Snapper confirm Kara’s suspicions about Cat.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Title gifs created by @xy0009 ([ao3](http://archiveofourown.org/users/xy0009) | [tumblr](http://xy0009.tumblr.com))

“Hey!” Alex greeted Kara with a hug as her sister traipsed in after landing on the DEO balcony. “Listen, I know we were going to go over the Cadmus intel, but I just got a lead on the Infernian, so I wanted to get that to Winn before he goes home.”

“Oh, Winn never goes home,” Kara scoffed. “Seriously, check under his desk for a sleeping bag. He has this great apartment, but he’s never there. He was the same way at CatCo.”

“Who does that remind me of, Miss Two Jobs?”

“You’re one to talk.” Kara leaned on the railing, flicking her cape out behind her with one hand. “Is it a good lead? Oh wait, you’re probably not supposed to talk to me about that stuff anymore. I’m just some freelance muscle, right?”

“Maybe we should speak to the boss about that.” Alex jerked her head to the opposite walkway, where J’onn was giving orders to a couple of field agents. “And I’ve got some news for him that should make whatever grief he’s getting from the brass seem like small potatoes.” Alex looked around for eavesdroppers, out of habit. “An NCPD detective told me there’s another Green Martian. Here, in National City.”

“Seriously?” Kara grabbed her sister’s arm. “Okay, we have to go tell him right now. Before anything else.” She practically dragged Alex over to where J’onn was dismissing the other agents. When he saw them coming, he frowned, crossing his arms over his chest.

“You know, I’m hearing chatter out there about the president having increased security for her visit. I’d better not be able to trace that information back to CatCo.”

“Wh–what?” Kara sputtered. “Of course not! I mean, maybe other journalists there have sources, but it’s nothing to do with me.”

Where Alex would normally have leapt to Kara’s defense, she went with diversion instead. It still basically worked, but Kara preferred the times Alex actively stood up for her, and it would have been welcome in the face of J’onn treating her so coldly.

“A cop I’ve been dealing with told me something _huge_ today,” Alex announced. “I haven’t been able to verify this yet, but she seemed pretty sure. She has a friend who’s from your planet. The _green_ kind of friend.”

“That’s not possible,” J’onn replied, staring Alex down. “No Green Martians survived the purge. Except me.”

“Well, like I said, take it with a pinch of salt for now, but I’m pretty sure I can set up a meeting.”

“Not before we’re done with the president’s visit,” J’onn said, already looking at his paperwork again. “If that’s all, Supergirl, you can take yourself home for the night. Seems Washington was right about us wasting resources playing backup, if you can’t find enough to keep you busy.”

He attempted to move off, but Alex sidestepped into his path.

“What the _hell_ happened in Washington?” she demanded. “ _Sir._ I understand we have a lot of eyes on us, but you don’t need to speak to Kara that way. She’s saved both our lives and this whole city more times than I can count. A few weeks ago she saved the whole planet. Or had you forgotten that?”

“Alex,” Kara interrupted, laying a hand on her sister’s arm, touched that Alex had stood up for her this time. “It’s okay, I understand. I should get going; you go get your work done.”

“Goodnight, Agent,” J’onn said with a brisk nod, heading back towards his office.

“Okay.” Alex stood with her hands on her hips, watching him go. “That was weird, right? That he didn’t even seem interested in another Green Martian after all this time?”

“Maybe he’s been disappointed before. It’s tough to get over, thinking you’ve found a link to everything you’ve lost, only for it to be a misunderstanding, some pale imitation of the people you miss.”

“Oh, Kara…”

“It’s fine,” Kara insisted. “It’s just hard to finally give up that little glimmer. I’ve been here almost thirteen years. I have to accept it sometime. Maybe that’s how he coped. Don’t be too hard on him if he doesn’t want his hopes dashed all over again. I was reminded recently how that feels.”

“The whole Mon-El thing still bothering you, huh?” Alex guessed, and Kara shrugged.

“I’m fine,” she lied. Now wasn’t the time to dwell on the matter, but she knew she’d have to deal with it at some point.

“You want to hang out with Winn and me while we work?” Alex offered, but Kara shook her head.

“I really should get going. Let me know if you need help with that Infernian though.”

“Will do.” Alex gave her a quick hug and sympathetic smile before heading off to the command center.

Kara stood on the balcony as the doors closed behind her, sealing her out. First Snapper had made her feel like she could barely spell her own name all day, and now J’onn was acting like she was the useless temp someone had forced him to hire. No wonder she missed Cat so much. A difficult boss, sure, but one she’d figured out how to work with, and often around.

With a sigh, Kara checked her phone. No response to her initial message, or the news of her first exclusive with Lena Luthor. Maybe it was time to ask Cat more directly for a response.

 _Me again, Ms. Grant. Do you think you could humor me and reply? Just so I know you’re okay? I could call, if you let me know a good time to reach you._ She sounded a little desperate, Kara decided, but then again, she was. She hit send.

Holding tight to her phone and the hope Cat would finally reach out and calm her concerns, Kara leapt for the sky, leaving the DEO behind.

***

After only an hour of dream-soaked sleep, Cat didn’t struggle as she was hauled into the tank and strapped down again. The restraints were cold on her wrists and ankles, the only sensation penetrating her disassociated state. They’d put her through session after session after session already. Wearing her down both physically and mentally. Not only did her mind live whatever alternate reality the Mercy inflicted on her, but her body endured it as well. Every muscle ached, and Cat closed her eyes, pathetically wishing for Kara’s arms to lift her out of that chair and carry her home.

“Going for the record,” Lillian announced as she breezed in. “Not that I expected anything less from you, Cat. You do like to win all the awards. Although in fairness, the first few subjects were all dead within two days.”

Bringing her head up, her eyes bloodshot and burning, Cat showed what little defiance she could. Lillian chuckled, mocking her, but Cat kept her chin up, refusing to be baited into a response.

“Stay alive out of spite, fight it as long as you want, but in the end, no one can resist the Mercy. Even your beloved Supergirl was reportedly felled by it, although in another form.”

Cat blinked at that sudden revelation.

Someone’s phone chimed, and Lillian sighed, extracting one from her lab coat. Cat’s own, judging by the Prada case on it.

Lillian checked the message. “I do believe you have an admirer, Kitty.” She idly wandered around the tank, the corners of her lips tilting up in an amused smile as she scrolled through the message string. “She’s quite persistent, and I suspect more than a little lovelorn.”

Cat suspected whom the text was from. _Kara._ Kara wouldn’t forget about her, would be checking in. It was just a matter of time before she figured out something was wrong…

“Kara Danvers,” Lillian murmured, confirming her suspicions, and Cat wondered if she’d imagined Jeremiah flinching beside the tank in surprise. “Doesn’t that name sound familiar?” Lillian chuckled, and Cat’s heart rate spiked. Did Lillian suspect the truth of Kara’s identity? Or would she target the seemingly vulnerable Kara to control Cat further? “She your latest conquest, Cat? That young, pretty thing? I notice she gets the rare honor of a photo saved with her contact details. I suppose I can see why you’d like to look.”

Lillian held up the phone before Cat’s weary eyes, and an image of Kara smiled back. Cat couldn’t look away.

“Why the interest, Lillian?” she managed to say. “Chasing after my scraps again?” Let Lillian think it was a fling. That might keep Kara safe, her secret unexposed. “You couldn’t seal the deal with my ex-husband, and I don’t think Kara’s your type.”

Kara had taken the damn selfie while setting up Cat’s newest phone, insinuating herself into every part of Cat’s life in that easy, delightful way of hers. If only she would insinuate herself in this horrible place and save them both from Cadmus’s plans. Lillian pulled the phone away, and Cat missed the sight of Kara instantly.

“ _I miss you,_ ” Lillian read aloud in a high-pitched, mocking voice, and Cat’s heart clenched. “ _I thought you should know that._ ” With a tsk of her tongue, she scrolled lower. “ _Think I would have made you proud today, Ms. Grant. I got a scoop from…_ Hmm.” Lillian’s smile tightened. “Looks like my daughter took pity on your plaything and threw her a bone.”

Slowly, Cat’s hands balled into fists, straining against the metal cuffs holding her to the chair. If she ever got her hands on Lillian…

“ _Me again, Ms. Grant. Do you think you could humor me and reply? Just so I know you’re okay? I could call, if you let me know a good time._ ” Lillian clucked her tongue again. “It’s been days, and here she is still trying. You’ve been ignoring her, of course.”

Cat tried to think through the fog clouding her mind. Kara would grow worried about the silence from her, but Cat didn’t have time to wait. “She won’t give up,” Cat croaked, her throat raw and dry. “She’s probably called out the National Guard by now.” Lillian pivoted, eyeing her coldly, and Cat shrugged, managing a smile. “Can you imagine? All your plans foiled because you didn’t know how to handle my former assistant?”

Lillian turned away, typing a quick response into Cat’s phone before hitting send. Cat mentally crossed her fingers that whatever Lillian had fired off in her pique tipped Kara off sooner rather than later.

“Never fear, Kitty. We’ve been replying to the rest of the pathetic bids for your attention. Texts, emails, most of your calls. Everyone still wants something from you. Since poor little Kara won’t take a hint, though, maybe a little touch of that famous Cat Grant bitchiness will do the trick. I must admit, I’m surprised to find someone outside Carter even gives a damn about you.”

The thought of Carter made Cat close her eyes. If she could get even one hand free she’d claw Lillian’s eyes out. How dare she talk about Carter, Cat’s sweet, special boy, as though Lillian understood the first thing about their relationship? If Lillian succeeded, what kind of mother would Cat be to him? Would Lillian make her into someone Carter despised? Or would Cat become more like Lillian herself, raising a murderer fueled by bigotry and hate?

“Give in,” Lillian whispered in her ear. “Give in and you can go back to the son you kept, go back to _her_. Little Kara Danvers is waiting for you, missing you. You want to give her what she wants, right? Give her what she needs? Stop fighting us, Cat, and you can have her.” God, it was almost tempting. Cat wasn’t a scrappy reporter living on toast and coffee any more, and as hard as she worked, she’d gotten used to a softer, easier kind of life. Her resistance weakened by the minute.

Lillian stood then, speaking up so the rest of the room would hear her. “At least, until you discard her like everyone else in your life.”

“That’s enough.”

Cat’s eyes fluttered open, startled by the anger in Jeremiah’s voice.

“Careful,” Lillian snapped at him. “Don’t forget your place, Doctor.” She straightened, setting Cat’s phone next to the console before sealing Cat inside the tank. “Up the dosage. This noble struggle seems to be about not disappointing her blonde plaything, and we didn’t account for heightened emotions. Break her, or I’ll start on certain _government_ employees next.” The look she gave Jeremiah was chilling.

Knowing she was pissing Lillian off was small comfort, but Cat would take it. At the spark of defiance from Jeremiah, Cat felt a fresh pinprick of hope in the midst of her exhaustion and despair. She might not be entirely alone in this after all.

***

Kara’s phone went off on her way to an interview, and she dug it out of her back pocket. Expecting an update from Alex or Winn, when she saw Cat’s name, she stopped still on the sidewalk, the guy behind her plowing into her with a grunt and falling down.

“Jeez, lady,” he grumbled. “You’re like hitting a brick wall.”

“Sorry, sorry,” Kara said quickly, helping him back on his feet and trying to dust him off. He scowled, avoiding her hands, and quickly limped away.

For the sake of the people around her, Kara stepped out of foot traffic. She settled on an empty bench as gray clouds threatened overhead. Blowing out a breath, she unlocked her phone and pulled up Cat’s message, a smile coming to her lips only for it to fall away when she read it.

_Get a life._

Kara blinked, reading the three words again and again. She resisted the urge to crush her phone, to fire back something equally as cold and cruel, to find some way to lash out at Cat for worrying her, hurting her.

After all they’d been through, how could Cat treat her so flippantly? Like the last two years had meant _nothing_?

Shooting to her feet, Kara paced back and forth in front of the bench, mentally giving Cat Grant a piece of her mind. How dare she act like the respect Kara had scratched and clawed for was worthless. How could she forget all the times Kara had been there for her, all the times they’d been there for each other? They’d been through too much together for Cat to give her some pissy brush-off. Cat wouldn’t do this. She wouldn’t do _this_.

Kara went still again, the realization rolling over her. “Cat wouldn’t do this,” she whispered.

***

“Anything?” Alex asked Vasquez and Winn as the sun set on another day with no progress. The president was scheduled to arrive in sixteen hours. If they didn’t break something wide open tonight, Alex didn’t want to think about what hell tomorrow would be.

She ignored J’onn as he prowled the DEO behind her, in an even grumpier mood than before. Sooner or later he would tell her what went down in Washington that had him wound so tight, but for now, she was finding it damn hard not to take his actions and attitude toward her father and Kara personally. Alex had expected better from him, and it physically hurt that their history suddenly seemed to matter so little.

Tapping away at their stations, Winn and Vasquez both shook their heads.

“There’s a creepy amount of unusual heat signatures in this city,” Winn muttered. “I’m just trying to locate the ones that shouldn’t be there.”

“There’s a creepy ass amount of those too,” Vasquez chimed in.

“How many?” Alex was prepared to take a team and check them all out herself if it meant getting out of the building and away from J’onn’s foul mood for a while.

“About two hundred.” Vasquez gave her a look, almost seeming to dare Alex to suit up and hit the pavement.

Alex snorted. “What about the information I gave you on Scorcher? Anything there we can use?”

“Gave us a hell of a lot more than we had,” Winn said, impressed. “I’m trying to run down previous residences, employment, anything I can dig up. Our Infernian likes to live off the grid. Facial recognition software is our best bet right now, and thanks to the info on your flash drive, we have her pretty picture. Where’d you get this anyway?”

Alex waved off the question, keeping Maggie’s name out of it as she pointed to Scorcher’s last known location. “Seems like our fire starter likes warehouses. Can you narrow your search parameters down to those?”

Winn and Vasquez both started typing so fast Alex’s fingers twitched. She rested her hands on her hips, waiting.

“Got it!” Winn announced gleefully, shooting Vasquez a triumphant grin as she glowered. “That narrows it down to… a hundred.” His excitement fizzled and died.

Alex rolled her eyes as her phone buzzed in her back pocket. She frowned, retrieving it. “Keep trying to narrow it down,” she told them before strolling away from the command center, bringing the phone to her ear. “Yeah,” she greeted, expecting Kara.

“Danvers.”

Alex’s breath caught in surprise, a little flutter tickling the base of her stomach. “Sawyer,” she drawled into her phone, pleased to hear from the detective. “I thought we broke up?”

Maggie huffed out a weak laugh. “Yeah, well… that was before I got a bead on our Infernian. You in?”

“Where are you?”

Rattling off an address, Maggie then fell silent for a moment. “Don’t think she’s going to hang around, so unless you can have a team here in 15 minutes, I’m going to attempt this one myself.”

“Wait,” Alex snapped, her heart tripping in her chest. “Don’t be an idiot. She can control _fire_. Going it alone is a bad idea. The next person who tackles you in a dark warehouse might not be as nice as me, Detective.”

“Not much choice.” Maggie sighed, sounding more than a little weary. “Get here when you get here. Tell your agents to put me out if I’m still smoldering.”

“Sawyer…” Alex swore when Maggie disconnected. Pivoting back to the command center, the orders she was ready to bark caught in her throat as her gaze landed on J’onn’s back. She’d be damned if she let Maggie get herself killed over politics. “Hell with it,” she muttered, heading for the elevator. She tapped her earpiece as she stepped inside. “Kara?”

A few seconds passed in silence as the elevator began to descend.

“Alex, hey. I was just about to call you. Listen, I think something is wrong with…”

“We’ll talk about it later,” Alex told her, ignoring her guilt at cutting off her sister. “Right now, I really need a lift.”

***

James had been in Snapper’s office for all of two minutes when Kara arrived unexpectedly, her nose wrinkling adorably at the scents of copy toner and Italian sausage lingering in the air. He had only just begun to adjust to the pungent combination himself, and he didn’t have a Kryptonian’s sense of smell. “What’s up?”

“Do you have a minute?” Kara asked, her tone serious.

Snapper kept chewing on his sandwich as he made notes on an article. “In case you didn’t notice, he’s in a meeting, Ponytail.”

James winced. “Ponytail? Really?”

Snapper glanced up at him then. “Don’t tell me she has you wrapped around her little finger too.”

James crossed his arms, doing his best not to wonder who else Snapper might be including in that statement. It had occurred to him Kara might have met someone else, that she’d tried to spare his feelings by letting him down easy and breaking things off with him before they began. He didn’t like how jealous and petty that made him feel. “Did you need something?” he asked her. Despite his best efforts, it still sounded snappish.

“It’s private.” Kara motioned with her head towards the door. “About Ms. Grant.”

“You don’t have to worry about Cat anymore,” James chided.

Snapper dumped his sandwich on the desk and wiped his hands on his pants. “No point telling her not to worry.” He didn’t look at either of them, marking revisions on some hapless draft. “Worrying is one thing Danvers excels at, but she’s got moxie, I’ll give her that.”

Kara clenched her jaw, clearly not thrilled with being talked about like she wasn’t there.

“Come on.” James took Kara by the elbow, urging her toward the door and some fresh air.

“What’s the Cat problem?” Snapper demanded before they could leave.

Hesitating, Kara reluctantly plucked her phone from her pocket. “I’ve been texting her since she left. About um, CatCo business. I asked for her feedback on something and got kind of a weird response.”

Snapper held out his hand and wiggled his fingers. “Give it here. I speak Cat.”

James laughed uncomfortably, but Snapper took off his glasses and gave him a pointed stare. “You want an answer or you want to just speculate? Seems like you and Danvers had a bit of a falling out by the way you’ve been avoiding her up until now. I could spare you both the awkward conversation.”

Kara exchanged a sheepish glance with James before handing over the phone.

After a moment or two, and a look at Kara that James couldn’t decipher, Snapper handed the phone back. “That’s not Cat. If you’d pissed her off with all your whining about having to do real work for a change, she’d have put way more elaboration into her insults. That’s some flunky.”

A flutter of unease stirred in James’s stomach. “Cat’s not traveling with an assistant. She left Eve with me, remember?”

“Then she’s hired one wherever she is, because that’s not Cat. I’ve talked to the woman every other day for over ten years, Olsen. I know her voice, spoken or written, as well as I know my own. It’s what she, nauseatingly, would call _being on brand_.” Snapper’s air quotes were withering, but accurate. “The messages I’ve had from her have been off too. Like the _Saturday Night Live_ version of Cat. The one she sued over.”

James wasn’t sure what to address first. The fact Cat and Snapper went back that far was a surprise, but he was more unsettled by the thought someone else was answering Cat’s texts.

“Cat never asked me to reply to her texts – the occasional rejection email, sure, but her phone was her personal domain,” Kara argued. “I don’t think it sounds like her either. Not replying was weird enough; you know how she loves the last word on everything. What do you think it means?”

“Probably nothing,” Snapper cut James off before he could answer, “but I’m a cynic and paranoid.” He picked up his own cell phone, running his thumb over the streak-covered screen. “What about your contact with her, boss man?”

James’s unease grew. “We’ve only talked about work, and that seemed fine. A little formal maybe, but fine.” Now that he thought about it, though, James had known something was off. He urged Kara ahead of him, determined to talk to her alone now.

“I think we’re all getting messages from Cat’s phone or laptop, but I’m not so sure we’re getting them from Cat Grant. Did you call her?” Snapper asked, and Kara refused to budge after the observation.

“I don’t want to bother her…” James began. They studied each other for a tense moment before he relented. “I’ll try to reach her.”

“Olsen? Ponytail?” Snapper called after them as they finally left. “I’ve only called a couple of times. The woman who answers sounds like Cat, but the voice isn’t right there, either. It wouldn’t be the first time she’s fobbed me off, but it doesn’t sound like her to mess with the guy she trusted her empire to.” He left it at that, turning away in his chair and picking up his sandwich again.

A chill went down James’s spine.

Once they were safely in the corridor, Kara pulled him aside for a quick conference. James tried his best not to react to her touch, which was just a little too forceful and in danger of ripping the seam of his shirt.

“Something’s up, but I have to go help Alex. Will you call her? If it’s definitely her, let me know. Otherwise, I’ll be in touch about looking into this. I’ll get Winn, too.”

“Don’t you think we’re all just overreacting?” He had to try, one last time. One more kick towards the surface before giving in to the sinking feeling in his gut.

“No,” Kara confirmed, taking off for the staircase that led to the roof.

***

They landed in a gravel lot, Alex stumbling away from her sister who watched her with a mixture of weary bemusement and apology.

“Give me a second.” Alex bent over, sucking in air, trying desperately to get her bearings and keep her dinner down. “Did you do all that zigzagging on purpose?”

Kara put her hands on her hips and glowered, a fine mist drifting over them and glistening on her cape. “You said the fastest route. That was the fastest.”

Alex groaned as she straightened her back, swallowing uncomfortably. “Flying over the ocean with you is fun. With all those lights and buildings whipping by? Not so much.”

Kara didn’t so much as smile. “So now what?” She turned and squinted at the warehouse, tapping her foot.

Stepping up beside her, Alex rested her hand on Kara’s shoulder. “See anything?”

“Two figures. One appears to be your detective. She’s in the offices.” Kara pointed to the left of the warehouse. “The other is the Infernian. She’s near the shipping doors.” Kara glanced at her. “Some reason we’re going this alone?” she asked, her blue eyes knowing.

“Figured we’d might as well get used to it,” Alex grumbled. She started toward the warehouse but Kara caught her arm.

“When this is over, we need to talk.”

Alex hesitated, realizing Kara looked worried and shaken. “About J’onn and the DEO?”

“About Cat. Alex, something is wrong.”

Alex bit her tongue, and counted to five. “One thing at a time, okay?”

***

The sharp scent of charcoal hung heavy in the air. Maggie clicked the safety off her weapon and inched along a hallway cutting through a cluster of small offices. She’d spent way too much of her week prowling around old, disintegrating warehouses looking for their little fire starter. Maggie just wanted this done so she could enjoy a glass of whiskey and a bubble bath to wash this case off her. Having scouted the exterior, she was now cautiously picking her way through the inside, but she was sure she had the right location.

Rounding the corner, she sucked in a startled breath when someone grabbed her, yanking her into an office that reeked of mildew and old cleaning chemicals. She was pressed flat into a wall by a strong, lithe body.

“Trying to leave me out of the fun, Sawyer?” Alex whispered.

Maggie’s body warmed unexpectedly when Alex didn’t immediately withdraw, and the agent smelled like a mix of leather and rain, a whole lot more pleasant than their surroundings. “You got here fast.” She wondered where Alex had come from. Apparently, appearing out of thin air was a required skill for working at the DEO.

Alex tilted her head. “You didn’t leave me much choice.”

Danvers had come through for her. Maggie was so used to being let down and alone she wasn’t sure what to say, how to feel. She only knew she was damn glad Alex was there.

“Where’s your team?”

Alex winced, and Maggie balked. “You came _alone_?”

“Not exactly.” Alex eased back and Maggie missed her heat instantly as the cool, damp air stirred between them. “You’re not the only one with trust issues when it comes to her team these days.” Alex kept her voice low. “Scorcher is in the shipping area. Looks like she’s clearing out.”

Maggie nodded. “So, it’s just you and me?”

Alex pointed up. “And Supergirl. Did I forget to mention her?”

A crash echoed eerily throughout the warehouse, the structure shaking slightly around them.

“There she is now,” Alex said with a pleased grin.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please don't forget to leave kudos or a comment if you've enjoyed this chapter of the virtual season. Questions always welcome too!
> 
> Major props to supercattuccino ([ao3](http://archiveofourown.org/users/krystalgoderitch) | [tumblr](http://supercattuccino.tumblr.com/ask)) and spaceshipsarecool ([ao3](http://archiveofourown.org/users/spaceshipsarecool) | [tumblr](http://spaceshipsarecool.tumblr.com/ask)) for their beta work on all episodes so far!


	9. Act V

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Art for Act V.

Gorgeous poster work from [@ofpensandcupcakes](http://ofpensandcupcakes.tumblr.com). You can love on that here or the [tumblr ask box](http://ofpensandcupcakes.tumblr.com/ask). Once you're done staring at the pretty, anyway. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please don't forget to leave kudos or a comment if you've enjoyed this chapter of the virtual season. Questions always welcome too!


	10. Act V

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Maggie meets Supergirl as they take on the threat to the president. The superfriends convene to search for Cat. Someone is compromised by their secret involvement with Cadmus.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Title gifs created by @xy0009 ([ao3](http://archiveofourown.org/users/xy0009) | [tumblr](http://xy0009.tumblr.com))

Kara had to admit in the last year or so, she had really learned how to come in hot. Her speed blew out decades-old dust in every direction, dampening some of the fires the Infernian had apparently set for fun – or warmth – around the warehouse.

“We can do this the easy way or the hard way.” Kara smirked at busting out the cliché. Well, she did have an audience, after all. Cat would encourage a little showmanship, and the sooner Kara dealt with this, the sooner she could properly broach the subject of Cat being missing with Alex. “But I’m not flammable, so you’d better have something else up your sleeve if you want the hard way.”

“Traitor!” came Scorcher’s hiss. Kara followed the sound and used x-ray vision to confirm her location behind a stack of packing crates. “Smug Kryptonians, still passing judgment on every other race.”

“Hey, you plot to kill the president, there are consequences,” Kara shouted back. “On Earth we respect democracy, and President Marsdin won by 3 million votes.”

Scorcher shot a burst of flames in Kara’s direction before ducking out of sight. The supersuit was barely singed, but at least it proved Kara wasn’t bluffing about being flameproof.

“Now she’s making her little shopping list, and assimilated humanoids like you just can’t wait to register. Then she’ll sell you all off to the highest bidder, let them strip your powers and use you for parts!”

“That is _not_ what the Registry is for!” Kara used her speed to dart in closer, but Scorcher zipped across the room with a trail of flames, igniting a pile of tarps next to some oil drums Kara really hoped were empty. “Who would be looking to buy aliens, anyway?”

“Your noble Earth scientists. Following in the footsteps of your father, if the rumors are true. There’s Lord Tech, Luthor Corp… they’ll make it look legitimate so the humans can turn a blind eye. But it’s Cadmus who want to break us down and weaponize us. They’re not getting me. Or my powers.”

“Listen, let me take you in,” Kara pleaded, trying for reason. The paranoia had clearly settled in. Antagonizing her further would only be, well, gasoline poured on the flames. Kara didn’t want to hurt anyone if she didn’t have to. “You haven’t really done anything yet, so there’s a chance–”

“Don’t give me to them!” Scorcher shrieked. This time her fiery blast enveloped the oil drums that might be enough to blow the place sky high.

“Enough!” Kara swept the room with freeze breath, stopping the fires in their tracks. Scorcher wilted a little. “The DEO won’t hurt you.”

“No, not the DEO!” She looked above Kara to the walkway. “She’ll give me to–”

A shot rang out, hitting Scorcher in the shoulder.

“I’ve got this!” Kara yelled, seeing Maggie in sharpshooter stance, weapon still raised. “We don’t need to hurt her!”

The Infernian staggered back to her feet, howling in pain. Kara moved to check on her, but the minute she got close enough, Scorcher grabbed Kara’s shoulder and used her as leverage for three quick jumps, landing on the walkway outside the office.

_Alex._

Kara didn’t stop to think. Her sister would hurl herself into harm’s way, even for this cop she barely knew. Sure enough, as Scorcher unleashed her blast, Alex threw herself across Maggie to pull her clear.

“Shit!” Alex hissed as the flames whooshed up her arm. Kara collided with Scorcher a second later, one well-placed punch enough to crumple her to the ground.

Kara worked quickly, restraining her prisoner and breathing a cool and gentle mist over Alex’s exposed skin and burnt jacket, careful not to freeze her arm in the process.

“Don’t do that!” Kara admonished. Working around Alex’s injured arm, Kara pulled her into a desperate, one-armed hug. “You’re not invincible, Alex!”

Alex coughed, eyes darting to Maggie, who had pulled herself off the floor where Alex had pushed her to safety.

“I mean, Agent Danvers. You can’t take risks like that in the field.”

“Hey, I’m just glad I’m not flambéed,” Maggie piped up, patting Alex awkwardly on the back. “Thanks for the save, QB1.”

“I probably should stop doing that,” Alex admitted, rubbing the tip of her nose.

“Why did you take that shot?” Kara demanded the moment Maggie turned to her. “I had her.”

“No, you didn’t,” Maggie argued right back, way more defensive than she needed to be. “You were winding her up to snap. What she did here was Fourth of July sparklers compared to what she’s capable of.”

“Hey, hey,” Alex intervened, putting herself between the two of them. Kara didn’t miss the smug smile from the detective when Alex stepped in to protect Maggie again. “The important thing is we got our girl, right? We don’t need to fight about it in post-game.”

“Fine.” Kara stepped away and folded her arms, leaving her sister to handle the cop.

***

“You okay?” Alex asked.

Maggie nodded, sweat beading on her forehead from the near miss with the fire. She cast a look at Supergirl, her lips pursing. “You always bring Supergirl as your wingman?”

“When she’s free, yeah.”

“I assume she’s officially working with you?”

“We have a partnership.” Alex prodded at her arm a little and winced. “Come on. Let’s all get out of here.”

“You going to be okay?” Maggie asked.

“I’ve done worse trying to make pancakes.” Alex waved off her concern, smiling a little when Maggie snorted in response. She kind of liked this woman.

“What do we do with her?” Kara asked, nudging Scorcher with her boot as she scowled at Alex.

“I’ll take her in,” Maggie said with a sigh as she pulled out her handcuffs, but Alex could see she was a little shaky on her feet. Rolling the suspect over, Maggie secured her with no fuss. “Thanks to you, she’ll be on simmer for a while.”

Kara smiled at the half-hearted attempt at a joke, but Alex could see the forced politeness in it. She was going to be hearing about this all week. Unless whatever had Kara spooked about Cat turned out to be something real. Alex gritted her teeth at the prospect of yet another distraction.

“You _should_ let us take her to the DEO, you know,” Alex said quietly, but she made no move to stop Maggie from doing her job.

“Maybe,” Maggie allowed, and this time the sigh came from her knees, bone-deep and weary. “But we have some tech too, Danvers. Got ourselves a big upgrade just the other week thanks to some whizz-kid. We can handle her.”

“I’ll put her in your car,” Kara offered, sharing a silent look with Alex, who nodded once in agreement. Grabbing Scorcher by the collar of her jacket, Kara dragged her effortlessly away.

“Thanks,” Maggie said before she and Alex followed at a slower pace. “Suppose I should thank you too, huh?” she added, giving Alex a sideways glance as they stepped outside. The rain had picked up in intensity, and soot and ash trickled down their black leather jackets, leaving the air smelling like a campfire.

Shrugging nonchalantly, Alex met Maggie’s gaze. “How about you owe me one?”

Maggie lifted a single eyebrow, intrigued. “Fair enough. You’re catching a ride with the cape, huh?”

Alex made sure to give nothing away with her smile, but she saw Maggie’s lips twitch before she caught herself.

Nodding, Maggie tucked her hands into her pockets. “See you around, Danvers.” She walked off with none of her usual swagger, and Alex frowned, wondering what might be bothering the detective.

“See you around, Sawyer.”

***

Frowning, Kara stood next to Alex as they watched Maggie drive away. Alex sighed softly, almost wistfully, and Kara turned her head to glance at her sister in surprise. “You okay?”

“Yeah,” Alex said quickly. “Little singed, but it’s nothing some aloe and cool compresses won’t fix.” She glanced down at what was left of her sleeve after its brush with fire and freeze breath, wincing at the damage.

“Do you like her?” Kara hooked her thumb at Maggie’s receding taillights, tilting her head and staring at her sister. “Because I know that look. I don’t see it often, but I know it.”

“No,” Alex huffed, straightening her jacket. “I practically just met her.”

“Uh-huh.” Kara crossed her arms, revealing nothing of her thoughts on the subject.

“So what’s going on with Cat?” Alex asked, if only to distract her sister.

Kara took a breath. “You’re going to think I’m crazy or overreacting.” She also suspected Alex would be less than thrilled Kara was about to throw up another distraction when it came to finding Jeremiah.

Alex settled her hands on her hips, waiting for more explanation.

“I hadn’t heard from her since she left, even though I’ve been sending texts.”

“She’s traveling, Kara. Right? You said she was scuba diving or something.”

“The diving is a metaphor, I keep telling you. And it’s not like Ms. Grant to be totally silent. Ever.” She retrieved her phone and called up her texts with Cat before handing her phone to Alex. “Read what she sent me today.”

Alex scrolled through the messages, frowning, until she came to Cat’s response. Her jaw clenched. “It’s… mean, but why does this have you worried? You’ve treated me to at least a hundred rants on how bitchy she can be.”

“That’s not Cat. She doesn’t talk to _me_ that way, and she doesn’t let other people do it either.”

Arching an eyebrow, Alex looked at the message again. “You can tell that by three little words?”

“If someone were pretending to be me and texting you, would you know the difference?”

Shoulders slumping slightly, Alex heaved a wearier sigh this time. “Kara…”

“Alex, please. Something is wrong. I feel it in my gut, and I need to know she’s okay. I just need a little bit of help, especially since I’m clearly not welcome at the DEO anymore. _Please._ ”

“Have you checked her other homes? Doesn’t she own like a dozen different places? Or maybe she’s hanging with Oprah somewhere?”

“I checked this afternoon after I got that text. No one knows where she is, Alex. Only what they see in the gossip columns. Not one story can be verified by an actual person.”

Kara’s phone rang in Alex’s hand. “It’s James.” She passed it over without another word.

Tapping her earpiece, Kara answered. “Hey. Was it her?”

“I don’t think so.” James sounded as rattled as Kara felt. “That wasn’t just distraction. Her responses were just a second too late, like they were being picked from a list.”

Kara went cold all over, quickly losing hope she was blowing the whole thing out of proportion. “You think someone is posing as her too?” Kara asked, cutting him off as her dread grew.

“You were right, Kara. Something is up. Want me to meet you and Winn at the DEO?” he asked.

Kara hesitated. “Uh, that might not be the best place. Maybe it’s time we resurrect our superfriends’ office – think the boss can turn a blind eye? Alex will come too…”

Alex nodded as she squeezed Kara’s shoulder. Kara gave her sister a timid, grateful smile.

***

Her windshield wipers swept away another sheet of rain. Maggie steered one-handed through the darkened streets, clicking on her radio with the other hand to call in Scorcher’s arrest. It had been a rough night, but at least it had ended on a successful note.

“Dispatch, this is unit 19, I have a 10-15x. The president doesn’t have to worry about her Infernian anymore.” Maggie waited for the response.

“10-4, Unit 19. Will notify NCPD alien containment team is required.”

“Thanks,” Maggie muttered before throwing her radio on her passenger seat and sighing. Her cell phone buzzed in her back pocket, making her jump. Keeping an eye on Scorcher in the rearview mirror, she fished her phone out. The sinking feeling in her gut said it would be her captain, but God she would give anything to be wrong. Swallowing, Maggie bit her lip, wishing she could let the call go to voicemail when she saw his name on the caller ID, but ignoring the man could get people she cared about killed.

“Captain,” she ground out in greeting.

“Sawyer. I understand you have a present for us.”

Maggie’s jaw clenched. “Word travels fast. I wasn’t alone at the arrest. Supergirl dropped by. She’ll notice if–”

“No, she won’t. But we’ll take precautions so no one’s looking for this wannabe terrorist. This is your deal, criminals first. We can always look elsewhere…”

Stopping at a traffic light, Maggie closed her eyes. Stomach roiling, she waited for his instructions, another piece of her soul dying when she knew she had no choice but to comply.

***

“Alex is just changing. Fire damage,” Kara explained offhandedly as she slipped back into their unused hideout two floors down from Cat’s office. Luckily, she kept plenty of outfits stashed all over the CatCo building. She’d found a dress for herself on a shelf in a storage cupboard, along with a protein bar. It hadn’t been hard to then track down a spare sweater for Alex. With her hair pulled back in a braid and her regular glasses on, Kara could have just been popping back from Noonan’s after a late-night latte.

“I heard you caught the walking fireball,” Winn said. “J’onn was pissed you let NCPD take the prisoner though, so I’m glad to get out of there. Wow, it is weird to be back.”

“You’ve been gone five minutes, man,” James mocked from where he was sitting on the still-wrapped sofa, tie undone and working furiously on his tablet screen. “Hey, Kara.”

She didn’t have time for small talk. “Hey. Did we get anything else? I meant to ask you to go through your emails again–”

“I did, and I flagged a few weird replies,” James said, pulling them up on his screen. “Each one on its own, yeah, maybe. But I ran it by Snapper again, since he’s apparently as much of a Cat whisperer as you, and he’s pretty convinced too.”

“So what’s he doing about it?” Kara demanded. “Are we running a story? It should go on the website first, but we can probably still make the late edition if early already went to print? I have the passwords for her verified Twitter and Instagram. I can take those down in case anyone tries to use them.”

“Woah, woah!” James held his hands up. “Kara, you gotta think this through. First of all, Cat might have put this in place herself. We can’t rule that out, not yet. How did she seem to you, before she left? Because I also spoke to Lois, and it wouldn’t be the first time Cat took herself off the grid for a few weeks.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Kara asked, folding her arms over her chest. “And what are you doing talking to Lois about Cat’s business? She’d fire you on the spot.”

“It means, as much as people don’t talk about it where she can hear them, Cat’s had some problems in the past. You know how many pill bottles she still gets through. If they stopped working for some reason, if something bad was coming on–”

Kara scoffed. “You think she’s having a breakdown? Or, what? She checked herself into rehab? No way, I would have noticed if things were at that stage.”

“Would you know what to look for?” Winn interjected, not looking at either of them. “Because I sure didn’t. I always told myself my mom just ran off, because of what my dad did. The reality, as I found out, was that she’d been drinking her way through it for years. Just… stopped coping one day. When high-functioning didn’t function anymore.”

“Winn…” Kara was at a loss. He so rarely opened up about his family, especially since the last time he’d kissed her and nearly destroyed their friendship.

“Hey, nerds.” Kara sighed with relief at Alex’s impeccable timing. She looked thoroughly out of her element in Kara’s baby pink sweater. “Thanks for letting me into your corporate treehouse. So what’s the deal with your missing boss lady?”

“It’s not definite,” James explained, watching Alex as she strode across the room, pulling her gun out of her jeans and checking it. “But Snapper’s worked for her for years, and he’s suspicious too. Between him and Kara, I don’t think anyone other than her family would know better.”

“I think you’re all overreacting. She’s a grown woman who just left a stressful job. Hell, a stressful life.” Alex took a seat next to Winn. “Maybe she just wants Mai Tais and a good romance novel for now.”

“Alex, I swear. This is not about borrowing trouble. I seriously think someone has Cat, and they’re trying to cover it up. It’s not just me, James and Snapper think so too. I still say we need to get this out there–”

“No way,” Alex interrupted. “I mean, if you’re actually right and someone has Cat Grant, there’s no way publicity is going to help. I might not be a real Fed, but I know that much. But you all know what else we have to consider, right?”

“That it’s been way more than 48 hours already.” James, growing into his leadership, took the hit and said what Kara had desperately been trying not to focus on. “We’ll have to see what we can turn up, before we worry about that.”

“Last time you saw her was before you said goodbye on the balcony, right?” Alex got into investigative mode despite her lingering frown, and Kara’s heart swelled a little with gratitude for her badass sister. “Give Winn the time and date and let him get to work. Meanwhile, Kara you log into everything of hers you have passwords to. There’ll be locations logged for her previous logins, right?”

“Right,” Winn confirmed, looking faintly impressed that someone was operating on his geek level at last. “But you know, if someone has her, it might not really be a DEO kinda thing. I mean it’s not like when Siobhan and Leslie took her, that was personal. If this is some kind of ransom thing…”

“I’ve got contacts at the NCPD,” Alex filled in. “Or I can flash my FBI badge if we need it. Kara, Winn needs to know when you last saw her.”

“Okay, okay.” Kara thought she should know the exact time by heart, that she should have imbued that goodbye with more significance. She would have, if only she’d known. “It was right before I talked to James, moving into his new office…” A moment later, Winn’s fingers were flying over the keys, just like old times.

“Well, she got into her car like normal.” Winn pulled up footage of the parking garage, showing Cat in that beautiful dress, eyes glued to her phone as she strutted over to the waiting car.

“He’s not one of her drivers,” Kara noticed right away. “I know them on sight, and they’ve all been vetted for bad cologne choices and discretion. He isn’t on any of the lists, unless Eve got someone new from the agency.”

“Strike one,” James murmured, joining Kara as she stood at Winn’s shoulder. “You got access to the city cams?”

“You know it,” Winn replied, working on a second and third monitor simultaneously as the black Lincoln pulled out of the shot and through the garage exit. “It’s almost legit this time too, thanks to my new clearance.”

“Shouldn’t be doing it on non-DEO equipment,” Alex pointed out, but she moved closer too, intrigued. “Now let’s see if she heads straight to the airport or something.”

“Ms. Grant doesn’t fly commercial,” Kara said out of habit. “Damn, I need to get logs from the hangar for her jet. Why didn’t I think of that?” Had a week really made her so rusty on all things Cat? For two years she’d known every name, date and time that made up the content of Cat’s days. A few days in her own role and Kara had all but abandoned her post. That wasn’t acceptable, no matter how competent Eve was proving to be.

“This should be her route.” Winn showed them on a map he called up. “It’s the one logged with her private security and the car service. So far so… shit. Here we go.”

“And that’s strike two,” James said, voice softer than ever.

“Detour?” Alex tried, but Kara knew it was false hope on her sister’s part. The left turn had taken Cat in absolutely the wrong direction, and Kara’s countless nights surveilling the city from the air told her there had been no need to take an alternate route that night. Kara had been too busy with a brawling Daxamite to patrol. If anything had happened to Cat, this was on her.

Winn picked up the car’s unauthorized route with a few more clicks. “Warehouse district,” he groaned as the car rolled to a stop. Kara tensed as she saw the men approach at a run, guns strapped to their sides.

“Please, please don’t hurt her,” Kara found herself whispering, ignoring the worried glances from Alex and James. Even without audio, she swore she heard it when the shorter man took a tire iron to the tempered glass of the car window.

“Damn,” Alex cursed as Cat tumbled out the opposite side of the car, running for her life and holding her own in a way that impressed and terrified Kara in equal measure.

Cat darted out of camera range, into some shadowy recess at the edge of the screen. Winn rotated through the few working cameras in the area, but only picked up a van three blocks down, leaving in a hurry.

“Someone has her.” James was the one to say it. “I guess there’s no point running those plates?”

Winn shook his head. “They’re fakes. Were they aliens?” he tried, looking to Alex.

“Looked human to me. Her kicks hurt them, she got purchase. They had a plan though, didn’t look around once, so I’d say they’re local.”

“Who can help us if humans took her?” Kara pleaded. “I’m going to check around where she was taken, in case…” She should have been there. Had Cat called out for her? Surely Kara would have heard if she had. Or had the fight with Mon-El distracted her when she was most needed? Another thing to hold against him, whether he intended it or not.

“We’d know by now,” Alex tried to reassure, but it fell flat. “I’m going to do what I can with my federal contacts, but we may need the police.”

“You mean…”

“She owes us one,” Alex reminded her. “Winn – get us faces. Any distinguishing features. I’m hitting up everyone I know in law enforcement tomorrow, as quietly as I can.”

“Why not tonight?” Kara looked at her watch. Barely eleven pm. She was itching to be out in the skies of National City, scouring every building for a captive Cat Grant. What if she were hurt? _Dead?_ Kara’s chest tightened and tightened until she could hardly breathe. “I have to go look,” she announced, spinning back into her suit. “Alex, can you–”

“Everything I can,” Alex promised. “You okay?”

Kara lied her way through a nod, just enough to convince Alex she was safe to fly. How could she be okay when Cat could be anywhere, where anyone could be… No. Kara had to have hope, had to believe Cat’s demands would be honored even by kidnappers.

As she flew away from CatCo and into the night sky, Kara was sure of one thing: when she got her hands on the men who’d done this, who’d hurt and terrified Cat Grant? There wouldn’t be a force on Earth that could stop her from doing a hundred times worse to them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please don't forget to leave kudos or a comment if you've enjoyed this chapter of the virtual season. Questions always welcome too!
> 
> Major props to supercattuccino ([ao3](http://archiveofourown.org/users/krystalgoderitch) | [tumblr](http://supercattuccino.tumblr.com/ask)) and spaceshipsarecool ([ao3](http://archiveofourown.org/users/spaceshipsarecool) | [tumblr](http://spaceshipsarecool.tumblr.com/ask)) for their beta work on all episodes so far!


	11. Coming up...

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A sneak peek for next week on Supergirl Virtual Season... Dive Part 2  
  
---  
  
## NEXT WEEK ON SUPERGIRL VIRTUAL SEASON!

As the superfriends work frantically to find Cat, her time is running out. How far will Kara go to save her from Cadmus?

And when Kara and Alex turn to Maggie for help, she gives them access to a new world that could bring her own crashing down around her.

Don’t miss part 2 of Dive! Beginning Monday on the [Supergirl Virtual Season](http://archiveofourown.org/users/sgvirtualseason)!

Gifset by the talented @reginalovesemma ([ao3](http://archiveofourown.org/users/reginalovesemma) | [tumblr](http://reginalovesemma.tumblr.com)). You can leave comments about it here, or hit the [tumblr ask box](http://reginalovesemma.tumblr.com/ask).


End file.
